


Theincaprincess 30 Day Writing Challenge

by blankdblank



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 84,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21564871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: In case you've been wondering why i've been a bit slower on updates lately, i've been doing a month long prompt challenge that is almost up. Hope you like them, showing Thranduil some more love here.
Relationships: Thranduil (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

Just adding the masterlist so far from my Tumblr page, will add the full stories when I have the time. :D

Masterlist - <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188580340064/inca-prompt-masterlist>

.

1- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188746586049/paint>

“Hold my hand so he gets jealous.”

“Ew, your hand is sweaty.”

.

2-<https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188765094924/paint-pt-2>

**“the easiest way I protect my heart is to pretend I don’t have one”**

**.**

3- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188792708119/paint-pt-3>

**“Welcome to the black parade, By My Chemical Romance”**

**.**

4- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188817562999/paint-pt-4>

**“Just don’t buy a goat. I don’t care what you do, just no goats.”**

5- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188841256109/paint-pt-5>

“There’s been another Fire. Half the building has been destroyed…again.”

“What are you looking at me for? I’ve been here the whole time!”

6- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188866959644/lawless>

**“He thinks he’s a mind reader.”**

**“He’s a bad kisser.”**

**“That wasn’t very subtle.”**

**“And that’s how you ruin a life. Congratulations.”**

7- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188895850014/falling-feathers>

**Walking outside, it’s early morning and all you can hear is the crunch of snow and ice under your feet.**

8- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188910630104/the-cabin>

***You are sitting around a campfire. There are stars shining in the sky. Someone asks “If you had the power to change one person’s life, how would you do it?”***

9- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188934877964/magnificent>

**“We shall have a magnificent garden party, and you’re not invited.”**

10- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/188949760294/caves-of-the-forgotten>

**“Unless you are ME, in MY position, don’t EVER try to tell ME how to FEEL.”**

**“I don’t run from my feelings, I get drunk and ignore them, like a normal person.”**

11- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189012496699/lucky-shot-pt-5>

**“Sharing tales of those we’ve lost, is how we keep from really losing them.”**

12- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189014207494/mermaid>

Setting: ***Getting a cold and having a red nose from using hundreds of tissues.***

Prompt: **“You can’t eat solids, only liquids until Thursday.”**

13- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189061478314/save-the-date>

**“I was gone for five minutes, and you’ve already knocked someone out, and you didn’t even try to stop them! Are either of you going to explain yourselves?!?!!”**

**“…..To be fair, they were a genuinely shitty person.”**

**“Incredibly shitty.”**

14- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189077935874/save-the-date-pt-2>

**“Please get me out of here.”**

**“Why? What’s wrong?”**

**“If I have to stay around these people for one more minute, I’m going to rip someone’s throat out…. with my teeth.”**

15- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189079177389/halfway>

**Bon Jovi Livin On A Prayer**

16 + 17- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189124871829/up>

**“You can’t spell menu without Me and U, so what’s up baby?”**

**“Do you have a pencil? Cause I want to erase your past and write our future.”**

18- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189153629209/never>

Two out of Three Ain’t Bad - Meatloaf

19- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189170564744/dashing>

“You’re not even cute”

“you’re right sweetie, I’m not cute. I’m drop-dead gorgeous.”

20 + 21 - <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189227153099/the-ice-cream-bandit>

**“Loving you is as easy as breathing.”**

**“But you’re asthmatic.”**

**“Your point?”**

Day 21 –

**“Get out of my face before I hit you.**

**“I don’t care if your 4 or 40, you don’t hit people.”**

22/23-

**“Stop it! It tickles!”**

**“Quit it or I’ll bite.”**

**“You’re going out dressed like that?”**

**“The skirt is supposed to be this short.”**

**“Take. It. Off.”**

<https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189270399719/if-you-see-him>

24- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189297787229/if-you-see-him-pt-2>

Music of the night – Phantom of the Opera

25- <https://blankdblank.tumblr.com/post/189293750859/ring-of-roses>

Winner takes it all by ABBA

26-

27-

28-

29-

30-


	2. Paint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hold my hand so he gets jealous.”  
> “Ew, your hand is sweaty.”

Useful, that was the goal. After surfacing rather ungraciously from the center of a duck pond in the royal gardens of Lothlorien you sat wide eyed at the edge of the lake after rounding up the floating belongings of yours the group of blondes descended on you. The main goal being the inspection for any wounds on you ending with the stoic Lord and Lady of the lands coming to question you themselves.

For all you had assumed the tune police was not what you had expected upon falling here. True they had given you little to do as you were not understood by a vast majority in this kingdom, at least except for a brunette pair of brothers acting as messengers from the Elf King. For the past two weeks you found yourself humming to a score trapped in your head, even in this Elven wonderland you had floundered into two days prior, and this supposed serene Lady found offence with your tune instead of the constant repetition of the seemingly ninja choir you couldn’t discover filling the forest with this endless song.

Fully packed after the brunette pair had taken pity on you a timid hold was taken on the quiver strap across the back of the one you had been hoisted up behind after your first flash of a full rib hug in the first jolt of the tan horse you were on. An apology later and you tried to remain as untroublesome and annoying as possible keeping hold of the thin strap so you wouldn’t be shoved off the back of the horse. A glance back after nearly an hour had the younger of the pair, Iro, flashing you a concerned grin stating, _“My Lady, unlike Lady Galadriel our King is far more welcoming to new music, and would no doubt enjoy your melody.”_

His brother Illo, nodded, _“It is quite riveting. Did you compose it?”_

You shook your head, _“No. It’s from a classic though. Just can’t get it out of my head.”_

Iro, _“If the mood suites you hum away, My Lady. It is a two day ride.”_

Unable to help it you grinned and started to look around at all you were passing beginning a slew of questions of all you were passing while your fingers on your free hand fidgeted with the hem of your tank top laying over the belt on your jeans threatening to stab a dent into your stomach at the nearing of lunch. On the edge of a stream you stopped and you managed to assemble a campfire while the pair prepped the meal, both grinning at your smirk in being successful. By dinner you were off to the side peering up at the stars with your head tilted until the clearing of a throat brought you back down to earth noticing the soft glow of your skin shining far brighter under the open stars after having crossed the bridge between Lothorien and the Greater Greenwood.

A small tent was set up and the pair convinced you to get some sleep, even as an Elleth you could one day go a week without sleep but now freshly ‘reawakened’ you needed your rest according to the pair well rested from their week long stay in Lothlorien. Curled up in the tent the usual dreams of distant castles and lush gardens had you drifting off to explore them once again and the sound of distant birds bathing and eating near the river woke you to find breakfast waiting for you. Again once you had adjusted the waistband of your jeans you were helped up onto the back of the same horse and held on for the first trotting start to the rest of the trip.

.

Massive trees engulfed the path and the skittering above had your eyes turning upwards lighting up the silver speckles in your purple eyes revealed in the slide of the raven curled section of hair laying across your face back behind you ears. Lowering your gaze at the halting of the horses you shifted on your seat to look around only to notice the passing of a white stag across the path. Halfway it froze and with an awed grin you flashed the stag a rapid wave, curiously it blinked at you then continued on in your weak giggle at seeing the rare creature who lagged behind to catch a better glimpse of you when you continued on ahead.

Its curiosity got the better of it and the guards within the main circle around the Palace glanced at it curiously before its turning back again. At the bridge you turned to flash Illo a grin and accepted his help down then turned to help collect your bags only to be kindly ushered away as Iro and him took hold of the bags. Through the open gates you caught the confused stares of the other guards and servants along the way until they brought you to the Throne room, outside of which your bags were left at the feet of another guard. A confused stare later and a gentle hand on your upper back for just a moment to help guide you inside with them after the pair gave a matching set of glares to the guard who tried to keep you out.

Peering around the room you puzzled at the woven roots above with lanterns hung throughout missing the soft whisper of the Crown Prince who was currently lost to his father’s instructions to assist in prepping for the upcoming visit from Lord Elrond. **_“Naneth.”_**

The open mouthed King back stepping from the painful utterance felt his head turn to where his wide eyed son was staring, his body turned as his eyes landed on you and sharply he inhaled and clamped his mouth shut. The Elf Lord on his left however barked out in Silvan, **_“You were meant to return with an agreement for the next shipment of produce, not with some-,”_**

In a bark of his own Thranduil cut him off, **_“Silence!”_** The Lord locked his eyes on the King’s burning into his in his low utterance of, **_“Not another word!”_**

Inhaling sharply the Lord turned on his heels and gave a rapid bow of his head making straight for the walkway you were on, somehow the shouts didn’t phase your curiosity and you continued peering upwards until the Lord strode widely along the path making the brothers split surrounding you. Iro led the way and your glance at the Lord now open mouthed in catching your appearance when your curls fell into your face again as you strode past him with Illo behind you extending his arms ensuring at the nearness to the edge you didn’t stumble. Past the Lord you were guided back to the center while the King and Prince anxiously puffed up looking the brothers over, who you glanced at in their joint head bows to the Nobles making you look at the pair wondering if you had to do the same.

Iro in Doriathian stated alerting the King to the language you spoke, _“My King, we did secure the agreement for a larger shipment.”_ He said offering the pack of parchment from his satchel on his hip to the Prince who stepped closer then back again folding his hands around the pack against his middle.

Illo then added while the King looked you over, _“Upon our final day the Lady Pear here emerged suddenly from the duck pond and after two days Lady Galadriel found fault with her place in Lothlorien after a great lack of those able to communicate with Lady Pear. On behalf of you we offered a chance to speak with you about possibly dwelling here.”_

Thranduil hastily replied to you specifically, _“What fault was found?”_

Nervously you let out a chuckle and replied, _“Apparently my humming wasn’t welcome.”_

Thranduil whispered in Silvan, **_“Humming…”_** Wetting his lips his chin tilted slightly and he said to you, _“Of course you are more than welcome here. We will see to your every need and comfort while you settle here. Your humming will be a welcome addition to our kingdom.”_

Sheepishly you replied, _“Thank you, that is very kind of you.”_

He shook his head, _“It is not out of kindness, and surely no less than you deserve.”_

Chuckling weakly you replied, _“I highly doubt that, but I will try to be worthy of it all the same, and try to learn the main language, maybe I might be useful, somehow.”_ His lips parted then shut as you stated, _“I feel like I’m dong something wrong. Am I supposed to bow too? I mean, you’re a King. Maybe that’s why-,”_

Stepping closer his hand extended and your eyes shifted from it to his seeing his soft grin, _“You are worthy of far more than you give yourself credit for. A vast majority of our people speak this tongue. For now allow us to show you to your new apartment. Occupations can be discussed later.”_

.

Comfortably you were settled into the apartment that was lavishly set up, each day growing closer to the Nobles who did all they could to sneak more into your daily life learning more about the clueless reborn woman they both loved. The two brothers upon learning in a meeting alone with the King just who they had found they were ready to stand back on their try to befriend you only to learn their mother was a distant cousin of yours, one of your last relations. A friendship was granted and the pair agreed to assist you in adjusting while your memories were slowly returning, as other returned Elves had experienced.

Languages were the first to come back to you giving you a great boost in your confidence as the lessons seemed to be working impressively well. A talent much hoped to have been retained was your painting, clearly there was work to be had in the repairs to the Western Wing simply having been ordered to give you ample space to touch up or redo the murals and add a supply of paintings you had been prepping to show to the King at his request to see what you found yourself painting.

A comment from you of the perfect view of the garden from an upper balcony for painting a scenic portrait for your collection gained you permission to use it whenever you wished. Rinsing off your brush a shiny flash from the sea of green below had you curiously off in search of it. Halls and turns later found you in the archway to the private training ground the King was currently dazzling you with a lone run through of drills with his dual swords shirtless in his silk sleeping pants.

Unknown to you it wasn’t the first time he had practiced since your return. Sleep had come difficultly and often to keep from rushing to you and spilling all you couldn’t recall just to nudge the progress along. Centuries he had ached to find any word of a possible reawakening for another chance, it was difficult in the sea of endless wars to court or be anything close to doting so he did all he could to lavish as much attention and affections to help draw you in closer. His belief that perhaps if you felt the bond already it wouldn’t be such a shock to learn you were once married to him and were the mother to his full grown Prince who got along with you famously and loved every moment of it after losing you as a child. He would settle for friends first, the both would and you seemed more at home by the day with noticeable mentions of events only your former self could possibly recall always left unmentioned by those you spoke with.

Another rotation of his blade behind his back and the shirtless sun cast King all but glistening in the early light stilled feeling his hair falling across his sweat beaded broad chest puffing up in his deep calming inhale. At his sides his blades lowered and off the archway you had absently leaned against you straightened up flashing him a grin with an anxious giggle _, “Sorry. Saw something shiny.”_

Lowly he repeated, _“Shiny…”_

With a nod your eyes scanned over him again in another deep inhale and exhale to remain calm seeing that same relaxed pose meaning an approach was coming, the blush a common reaction to his turn even after centuries and a son together. He still was irresistible to you and was still able to make you freeze and draw that adorable same excuse, even when not applicable at all. Yet the tone that always brought you closer did the opposite just like when you had first met, catching him gathering flowers for his mother as a teen. Off you darted and a sentimental grin eased onto his face in your glimpse back at him in your flight back to your easel.

.

Lord Elrond was on his way to the Kingdom meaning the ballroom had to be touched up as well. Arrivals of guests meant one thing, Balls. Near weakly strings of parties and concerts to entertain the guests until they had left again. That brought on the surge of attentions to who would be escorting whom and up to your side Illo darted after a click of your tongue at dropping your brush, blindly in your reach to grab it your eyes dropped to the bucket of paint your hand had dipped into. The desired huff you wished to give was left in your hand rising to dribble the paint from your fingers and palm that was clasped in his hand as he blurted out, _“Hold my hand so he gets jealous.”_

At that your brow ticked up and you stole a glance off to the redheaded guard of his first choice to attend the ball with then looked to your friend again, _“Um,”_

At that the redhead looked you both over with his chest rising sharply in his turn away as Iro mumbled, _“Ew, your hand is sweaty.”_

_“It is not sweaty.”_

His head turned and he grinned saying, _“I am going to conveniently be near the fountains he storms by, thank you again!”_ Releasing your hand he trotted off smoothing his fingers around his mouth trailing bright blue paint in a makeshift mustache reaching down to his chin. A marker twisting a wide grin onto the redhead’s face calming his bubbling anger ending with the much anticipated request to escort the now blushing Elf being helped through wiping the paint free from his face and hand who was calmed himself with a stolen peck on his cheek.

Peering down at your paint coated hand you sighed and gave it a gentle shake then wrapped it in a cloth to head back to your apartment. Freshly bathed the King hurried through the halls at hearing Legolas state in the distance, _“Lady Pear! You are injured!”_

In his loose white shirt over his silver pants the barefoot crownless King discovered you standing peering up at Legolas who hand his hands extended sheepishly hoping to inspect your hand without causing you harm. At his side the King arrived as you said, _“No, it’s not-,”_

Thranduil’s hand reached out asking, _“How did you injure yourself? We should escort you to the healers straight away.”_

Shaking your head you pulled your arm back, _“I’m not injured, really.”_

Thranduil, _“Then show us.”_

Folding back the top layer of the cloth his lips parted noting the bluish tinge to your fingers and half of your palm, _“I missed my brush, paint,”_ Across their faces grins split as the source of the Prince’s accident prone traits came from, _“didn’t want to drip.”_

Legolas chuckled glancing between his love struck grinning father and blushing wide eyed mother staring up at him then back stepped saying, _“There is a quiver calling my name.”_ Hurrying off to hide behind a pillar oddly amused to see for himself that his parents were falling for one another all over again after hearing about it for so long.

Thranduil’s hand extended and he stated, _“Allow me to escort you back then to scrub.”_ Nodding your head you joined him for the comfortably quiet stroll back to your apartment. Inside which your head tilted at the cloth coated cone shaped thing in your bedroom that certainly wasn’t there earlier when you had left. Into the bath you strolled and a full cleaning kit was set out with soaps and a soft bristle brush included. Watching you intently the King remained at your side asking you all about your painting, which happened to be a large moonlit night with blue butterflies over the night sky darkened canopy in varied shades of blue with stunning flashed of white and yellow on the realistic scene captured on the canvas.

Out again you strolled into the hall with him still beside you smirking at your curious peek at the sheet covered surprise left for you. _“Is everything alright?”_

Turning your head from looking at the mystery to him you replied with a point at it, _“That wasn’t here when I left this morning.”_

Chuckling softly he said playfully, _“Perhaps the best course is to, take a peak at what it might be?”_

 _“But-,”_ after wetting your lips you asked, _“Did you, leave that there?”_

 _“Not me, per se.”_ The smile spreading on his face increasing your curiosity as to what it could be.

Inching closer you eyed the sheet and pinched the middle of the part dangling across the middle lifting it higher parting your lips at the stunning blue skirt on the dress revealed when you flung it back. A sudden squeak from you widened his smile in your path around the dress. Strapless with a diamond shaped cutout on the back and silver branches stemming both up and down from the seam in the waist above the butterfly wing skirt. Turning to face him you let out another squeak again, _“You-,”_

Looking to the dress again your fingers rose to smooth over you lips and he inched closer. _“Is it not to your taste?”_

 _“Taste?!”_ His eyes looking over you, _“It’s stunning!”_ looking at it again you said a bit softer, _“I don’t even want to touch it its so perfect.”_

Up at him again you peered in his stating, _“If you were to wear it touching would be involved.”_

_“It must have been so expensive,”_

He shook his head reaching out to cradle your hand, _“Please pay no mind to the price. I had hoped, to have the gown prepared before asking if I might claim the right of escorting you to the Ball. There is no one I would wish to spend the evening with other than you.”_

Between his inching closer and hands cradling yours against his chest and the look in his eyes no answer was given, but a toe top stance later and your hand was released in the press of your lips to his. He hadn’t pushed you away or refused the action at all, had leaned into the kiss in fact. The trailing of his fingers across your cheek and the shiver it stirred from you had his free arm looping around your back drawing you into the warmth of his body. Just a few moments and his eyes were closed in the meeting of foreheads and you whispered, _“I’ll do my best not to step on you, or fall down and ruin the gown.”_

Brushing his second hand across your forehead shifting your hair behind your ear he hummed, _“Step all over me, care nothing about the gown and every time you fall, my arms will be there.”_ Once again your lips met his muffling your own excited squeak when words had failed you again spreading a dying smirk from him in his melt around you for as long as you allowed.


	3. Paint Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “the easiest way I protect my heart is to pretend I don’t have one”

Cold. Callous. Malicious. So many adjectives had been used to describe Thranduil, even to the point of Heartless. The truth was quite the opposite. Sure he could seem cold and stoic on the outside but behind closed doors the reason the Prince kept busy at times was because there was no telling when he would be lifted into the air like a puppy in the arms of a clingy child. Dangling helpless in the air he would remain in his father’s arms until the broken hearted King had felt that his love for his son had been shared and understood. Apologies and memories were shared, flooding into the room with more than enough for Legolas to know everything about the woman who had fallen saving him and countless others when an outer barrier was breached.

There was no grave, no marker, save for the overflowing gardens in the Royal Wing where your ashes had been spread that never darkened or withered even in the harshest winters. There was no need for a grave because you never truly left, they could still catch glimpses in the gardens, the paintings, where Amon Lanc was built and crafted by hundreds of architects you had headed the sculpting of this fortress Palace, you had dreamed it was your explanation. There wasn’t an inch that didn’t hold an echo of your laughter or smile that held the people together while the great wars had stretched on. The one thing not yours was the wall you never finished designing.

Thranduil promised that wall, ‘As soon as he returned’ that promise burned in his chest as returning home the gardens were scorched. Forest strewn with bodies and charred sections of land where your carefully aligned explosions and fires had funneled the orcs to where a wall of their bodies could be formed to protect those unable to fight inside the barricaded Palace. A stray arrow was all it took when the cry of your son behind the boarded window sounded at a boulder a troll threw tore through it. Hours you held on still fighting and kept talking to your son until he slept allowing you to slip away tearfully knowing he wouldn’t remember seeing you fade. The moment of your last breath the burns faded, lands around the palace lush again, taken as a promise that you would return to them.

Without you, the King’s heart, he supposed it had to be true, he was heartless. His chest ached and for the next decade that wall to protect what was all yours was masterfully crafted down to the most meticulous details. He kept his promise and within those walls his people flourished, your son thrived. Within those walls they would wait for you. From stragglers, travelers, tradesmen down to orcs the word kept popping up, always making him mumble to himself, _“The easiest way I protect my heart is to pretend I don’t have one.”_

Strangers never understood, his people did, without strangers it was quite a relaxed peaceful place no less laughter or cheer even in your shared heartbreak. Up atop his throne or off to the side he waited and watched, memorizing each moment both good and bad to share with you. Always smiling to himself when one of your treasured blue glowing butterflies would fly in to sit on his shoulder or knee for the rest of the celebration. Always dreaming of when you were there and the gardens and butterfly colonies would explode filling the air with heavenly scents and glowing butterflies.

Dreams however were another all together painful ordeal, between the heavenly moments of having you in his arms again for those loving moments in your youth more often than he cared when not drowning himself in wine to sleep he would catch flashes of arrows or sight of the battle ground you had fallen in. Never you freshly fallen as you were washed and changed long before the King or Prince could see you, no that image was trapped in the minds of Elves who had long since sailed protecting the pair from that pain. That blank would always be a painful kindness his past on all those battle grounds would warp to the worst possible into terrifying images jolting him awake. He never wanted to see you like that, never wished you pain yet always after sprawling out with an arm outstretched across Legolas’ chest, the contact enough to wake the Prince just in time to be pulled tightly into his father’s chest wide eyed only to drift off again to the memories of you smiling or dancing with the pair of them.

***

Dreams had always been your weakness. Wherever you were you seemed to be stronger than the others. True there were schools for magic and you had talents but still you were labeled a Squib, the more adorable cousin of a squishy little squid you told yourself, yet still you seemed to display talents all the same. Minds were easy, like books flipping open frantically for you and heaven help whoever was near you when daydreams occurred with a pen in your hand. No matter what you drew it came to life, well, at least not with people.

This palace and countless others you had sketched them before and in tiny models they would appear, even once a whole tiny herd of horse models coating your school desk you promptly had to hide in your hoodie pouch. That was the last straw, your parents insisted you be accepted and the fact of you giggling at the cartoon your doodle coated bag had reminded him of. Straightening up in his chair the Headmaster looked you over and accepted you, Divinations being the main objective for you to learn to control your mental abilities. Still even there your dreams led you through a world had never seen. People nowhere to be found filling up what seemed to be centuries of a life with them until a summer drive to head for the cabin to get away to just unwind only to wake up surfacing in a pond. Right in the middle of a world with so many oddly familiar faces of Elves unable to understand you.

Moving to Greenwood felt like home, and it seemed like those dreams of yours might be true by how the pair of blondes seemed to be so thrilled to see you from the first moment you had arrived. Though returning to this once imagined home of yours you had hoped the dreams might stop, but they hadn’t. Mostly they had been pleasant, at least until tonight. A single arrow, it always revolved around that damn arrow, the last of your assumed past life, well not counting the part of singing to a boy in your arms with the arrow broken off in your chest so he wouldn’t see it.

Panting with tears welled up in your eyes the same searing pain filled your ribs, more than enough to send you to the hospital in your old world yet here there was one place you wanted to be. Up on your feet you passed the gorgeous gown the King had gifted you to head to the hall. Quietly you opened the front door you had held your ear against hearing nothing but silence through it. Deep breathing guided you past the sunken waterfall fueled hot spring and towards the four poster bed where Thranduil was sprawled across it under the wrinkled sheets. Straight to the edge of the bed where you crouched with your arms crossed peering rather creepily at the King who had so nicely let you stay here. Inhaling deeply you decided to act instead of letting him wake up by chance to find you staring at him.

A gentle tap on his outstretched hand drew a deep breath into his lungs and when his eyes opened his head turned and his eyes flinched wider from his wish to smile to a concerned momentary pout in his roll over, _“What happened?”_

Pointing at the bed you asked, _“Can I-?”_

With a nod he squirmed only to settle in your climb onto the bed under his covers parting his lips in your slide to his side. Instantly his eyes shut and his arms folded around you when your arms looped around his back, warm tears slid across his collarbone and into your hair he hummed, _“Tell me what happened.”_

After a sniffle you replied, _“Just an old dream. Someone shot me in the chest.”_

At that his eyes opened and his arms slid tighter around you in your wiggle closer to him, _“You have the dream often?”_

_“Few times a year. Just, you said your friend is coming tomorrow, that means I need to sleep.”_

Again his cheek pressed to the top of your head, _“Sleep here whenever you wish.”_ After wetting his lips he asked, _“have you had any more dreams like that?”_

A timid chuckle from you stirred a grin onto his lips, _“I had one of you,”_

_“Oh? Was I training?”_

Your head shook, _“I was painting and you surprised me with a massive squash shaped like a duck.”_ Lowly he chuckled remembering that day, the day after he had proposed, having tried to pick the best flowers for you yet none of them were good enough leading to him scouring the gourd garden. There he found the odd squash, leading to his return with a wide grin showing off his prize that earned a loud smiling laugh from you ending with a tight hug and kiss. The results of said hug leaving him with clumps of orange hair for months until it finally washed out, a welcome reminder of your union.

Chuckling to himself he nuzzled closer to you humming, _“I’ll have to see if I can find anything else oddly shaped to amuse you to make your dream come true.”_

Giggling in his arms you hummed back, _“Goodnight Dew Drop.”_ Widely he grinned closing his eyes again to mold around you at the pet name only you were ever allowed to call him.

_“Sleep Well, My Darling Starlight.”_


	4. Paint Pt 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Welcome to the black parade, By My Chemical Romance”

It had to be the oddest dream you’d had yet since arriving here. Alone in your gifted bed you woke and sat up looking around the room with brows furrowed at the sheer silence of the kingdom. You could have sworn you had the nightmare, you went to the King and climbed into his bed to sleep in his arms. A breakfast was next and was broken by horns in the distance, Lord Elrond, his sons and Lord Glorfindel were introduced to you and then a roar found you here. Lifting your hands that still smelled like grass and earth you spied the familiar glowing blue veins marking another blackout of yours. It tended to just happen, back in your old world, something would scare you and you would just be gone and when you woke again there would be stares and whispers. You only hoped that when you found the others they wouldn’t shun you as others had before.

Climbing out of bed you stood furrowing your brows at the lack of difficulty you once had to get up making you look yourself over again. Softly your skin was glowing around the pulsing veins in your arms and feet loosely your flannel pants fell over your feet and your hands smoothed over your middle brushing down your tank top to hide the veins on your stomach and back. Curiously you snuck through the Royal Wing catching glimpses of the telling overgrown flowering gardens and glowing trees in each opening while you began to hum a song from the album bearing the uniform clad skeleton on your top. The open room on your right calling to you and luring you warmly with a beckoning breeze to the covered piano in the center of the garden wrapped music hall.

Dust scattered in the tug that sent the sheet over the polished piano you shifted around the bench to lower to the cushioned bench revealed in the same falling of the cloth. Hovering over the keys you felt your lessons flooding back to you and the quickening heavy song was given a more melodic tune to your airy voice carrying the deep haunting words following the first few lone hits of the keys.

**_When I was a young boy_ **

**_My father took me into the city_ **

**_To see a marching band_ **

**_He said, "Son, when you grow up_ **

**_Would you be the savior of the broken_ **

**_The beaten, and the damned?"_ **

**_He said, "Will you defeat them_ **

**_Your demons and all the non-believers?_ **

**_The plans that they have made?_ **

**_Because one day, I'll leave you_ **

**_A phantom to lead you in the summer_ **

**_To join the black parade"_ **

**

Wide grins spread through the Elven Lords presented to you in your anxious fidgeting with the hem of your shirt mentally berating yourself in a wish that you had time to change before their arrival. Distantly a roar echoed splitting through the stilling trees and silent forest in your place just outside the gates. There was no time, no time for him to push you inside the gates and seal the doors with your son. Out of nowhere Smaug had woken and suddenly in a jerk to the right leaves and branches swayed in the gust following his swoop over the forest.

**_When I was a young boy_ **

**_My father took me into the city_ **

**_To see a marching band_ **

**_He said, "Son, when you grow up_ **

**_You will be the savior of the broken_ **

**_The beaten, and the damned?"_ **

With his heart pounding the King knew it was a mistake to let you outside the gates. There had been rumors of how you staved off the hoards of orcs in your dying hours after being shot in the chest, and it wasn’t a loss of blood to take your life, merely a self release of your soul from that broken body to give yourself time to make a new one. As much as the masses would mistake you for a mere Elleth they couldn’t be more wrong. The lone daughter of the Valar Orome, the Hunter, and Vana, the Ever-Young. The mach should have never happened between you, yet in your shared youth due to your childhood phase lasting thousands of years your growth into adulthood aligned with his and a few stolen encounters with the glowing and slightly absurd Elleth passing through the gardens of Doriath on deliveries from his family shop the to be king found himself peering wide eyed up at one of the Valar Kings who stated it plainly that he would court you.

It was a dream, and far to be believed, yet in your years what awkwardness you had was greatly trumped by your ever growing heart and joy mingled with the sheer unmatched power leaving you the kingdom’s greatest defender when the armies had to empty the lands to battle.

**_Sometimes I get the feelin'_ **

**_She's watchin' over me_ **

**_And other times I feel like I should go_ **

**_And through it all, the rise and fall_ **

**_The bodies in the streets_ **

**_And when you're gone, we want you all to know_ **

Turning around lips parted in your brightly glowing glare up at the creature. The hand of the King having felt your pulse skyrocket was released and in a full charge you darted across the bridge while the men watched through the leafless branches above at the wave of flames billowing down coating the other side of the stone barrier halting them in their paths. Hearts dropped to their stomachs in assuming that you had been lost again only to see a cloud of butterflies glowing brightly in their flight from under the bridge grouping together again. Suddenly your body appeared again in their joining together all but making the Elf King and Prince drop to their knees in relief.

**_We'll carry on, we'll carry on_ **

**_And though you're dead and gone, believe me_ **

**_Your memory will carry on_ **

**_We'll carry on_ **

**_And in my heart, I can't contain it_ **

**_The anthem won't explain it_ **

Around your bare feet now coated in glowing blue veins were wreathed with buds of tiny flowers splitting through while the roots of trees you raced over glowed waking the trees the flames had somehow not been able to burn steadily sprouting new baby leaves. Another wave of flames unable to harm the foliage here washed around the fleeing animals all peering up at the cascading glowing waves above them unable to harm them under the now hundreds of butterflies flying above them in their path past the Lords into the open gates.

Overhead Smaug shouted out, “I have heard it Elf King. The hum of a golden harp. These trees have not muffled its call to me! You will give it to me or your forest will burn to cinders!”

**_A world that sends you reeling_ **

**_From decimated dreams_ **

**_Your misery and hate will kill us all_ **

**_So paint it black and take it back_ **

**_Let's shout it loud and clear_ **

**_Defiant to the end, we hear the call_ **

A sudden swipe of your hand brought their gaze back down to your reformed body at the miles of roots shooting up through the earth latching onto one of his wings. Angrily he roared slashing at the roots only replaced by more. Back feet were planted on the roots in a foolish move allowing the roots to grip his other wing as well in your next arm flick, the tug of your arm had the earth shaking in his path barreling down to the earth. Into which his roars were muffled in the hole the roots were burying him in under their brightly glowing in the withering of his massive frame casting the forest into stilled silence.

**_To carry on_ **

**_We'll carry on_ **

**_And though you're dead and gone, believe me_ **

**_Your memory will carry on_ **

**_We'll carry on_ **

**_And though you're broken and defeated_ **

**_Your weary widow marches_ **

Through the trees you were seen, hovering above the ground under the early morning sun no longer entirely solid, body pulsing brightly in shimmering speckles upon closer inspection appearing to be like light off tiny flapping reflective wings. Around you two giant butterfly wings outstretched from your back that in the glowing light exploded out in a pulse sending millions of butterflies out through Middle Earth. Then all at once the flash of light was gone leaving you floating wingless down to the mossy ground below fluffing itself up under the flowering miles of shivering trees with leaves springing out to coat the full stretch of Northern Greenwood filling with flowering foliage at your burst of power.

Miles and miles those butterflies and your light traveled. Some had assumed it would stop at the Northern borders, but no. All through the Southern lands rebirth of both foliage and the old keep with the banishing of the necromancer there and all his foul shadowy creatures and well into Rohan and Gondor filling their cities with waves of flowers and flowering trees filling the city with gasps watching them stretch even out over the Black Gates. Moria had been filled, the tiniest crack letting in the light filling the halls with soon dying screeches and cries of death at the inability to escape. Washing through Lothlorien the hidden choirs halted for the first time in weeks to marvel at the rare flowers and butterflies filling their lands quickly spreading to Rivendell.

One tiny lone root did split through the caverns of old Goblin town stirring more screams of his own, though these for the loss of a trinket, not a life. It might seem impossible, yet all the same that pulse of light washed all the way out to the Grey Havens, lingering in the Shire however those tiny lit butterflies began to whisper a long forgotten beckoning call waking something up in a great number of Hobbits. Mountains were ached for and Oceans cried their names over the sound of the tall grass swaying in silent finger wags urging them along to answer that all consuming call. Even to the depths of the Blue Mountains, down in the dark deep to the very last minor, smith or craftsmen, once again their hearts soared with thoughts of home lingering on the echo of a road of green to guide the way.

**_On and on, we carry through the fears_ **

**_(Oh, oh, oh)_ **

**_Disappointed faces of your peers_ **

**_(Oh, oh, oh)_ **

**_Take a look at me_ **

**_'Cause I could not care at all_ **

**_Do or die, you'll never make me_ **

**_Because the world will never take my heart_ **

**_Go and try, you'll never break me_ **

**_We want it all, we wanna play this part_ **

**_I won't explain or say I'm sorry_ **

**_I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scars_ **

**_Give a cheer for all the broken_ **

**_Listen here, because it's who we are_ **

**_I'm just a man, I'm not a hero_ **

**_Just a boy, who had to sing this song_ **

**_I'm just a man, I'm not a hero_ **

**_I don't care_ **

From the soft moss Thranduil had raced to your body was cradled to his chest and through the halls in a lingering cloud of flickering butterflies of glittering light speckled diminished on the breeze picking up again sending scents of all you had urged to grow into each nook and cranny. Hall by hall you were inspected and in your slumbering hum Thranduil grinned at your arms rising to circle his neck allowing him to kiss your forehead through your curls spilling into your face.

Legolas when his father turned to your room he finally mustered up is voice to ask, _“Ada, is Naneth fading again?”_

Thranduil grinned and turned his head to his son shaking his head, _“No, Little Leaf, merely resting.”_

In a smacking of your lips a low mumble came from you, _“No Professor, I didn’t spill the cactus juice on the Mimbulus Mimbletonia. I don’t even like cactus juice.”_

Behind him Glorfindel asked, _“Cactus juice?”_

Elrond, _“Mim-, what?”_

Glorfindel, “ _Has the Queen not remembered herself?”_

Thranduil, _“No,”_ carefully he eased you under the covers Legolas pulled back, _“Bits and pieces here and there. She will remember us fully in time.”_

Elrond, _“An explosion of power like that, without her memories. I do recall her powers, but to tap into them with such ease…”_

Thranduil, _“It is a reflex. Just like a sneeze. If you had felt her heart jolt as I had you would not be surprised.”_

Glorfindel looked over the others when you were covered up and wet his lips, _“Then perhaps we might pretend she grew faint, should she not recall defending us?”_

Elrond nodded, _“That course might be best.”_ Out again they were in the hall after Thranduil had stolen a last lingering stare, then guided them all to the main sitting room in the Royal Wing surrounded by the flowering private gardens they admired in sharing their travels and possible plans of a first activity for you all.

*

**_We'll carry on_ **

**_We'll carry on_ **

**_And though you're dead and gone, believe me_ **

**_Your memory will carry on_ **

**_You'll carry on_ **

**_And though you're broken and defeated_ **

**_Your weary widow marches on_ **

Softly you continued to sing not noticing the Lords leaning into the doorway hearing the ethereal voice enough to draw out a dragon from the now tree covered lonely peak under your guardianship unknowingly. Around you the openings filled with stretching vines and flowering stems in the rhythmic swaying of the branches to the tune widening their grins in seeing the source of the voice luring out the animals now completely calmed from the ordeal before with birds whistling along. The Greater Greenwood now much larger and far greater now that the Silvans were again under the watch of their Valar Queen.

**_Do or die, you'll never make me_ **

**_Because the world will never take my heart_ **

**_Go and try, you'll never break me_ **

**_We want it all, we wanna play this part_ **

**_We'll carry on_ **

**_Do or die, you'll never make me (we'll carry on)_ **

**_Because the world will never take my heart (we'll carry on)_ **

**_Go and try, you'll never break me (we'll carry)_ **

**_We want it all, we wanna play this part_ **

**_(We'll carry on!)_ **

A nudge from Elrond had Thranduil entering the room glancing back at his fleeing friends and son, who had all decided to wait in the gardens to feign a stroll in waiting for your return. Rolling his eyes he turned again moving closer to you adjusting the draping maroon wrap laying over the bends in his arms over his mint robe and matching pants. His nerves climbing in his approach was enough to make him flinch subtly when you lowered the cover to the keys and stood wide eyed peering at you in your move to stand in a try to sneak away continuing your search for the Lords.

Lowly he asked, _“You are feeling better?”_

Hastily you nodded, _“I, I need to explain.”_ When you moved closer he stepped closer as well keeping his eyes on yours, _“I have these powers. Back, where I came from, they couldn’t explain it. Never seen it before, I would get scared then wake up not knowing what I’d done. I didn’t mean to scare anyone.”_

Thranduil shook his head and closed the distance cradling your hands he raised to press against his chest, _“No one is afraid of you here. That was Smaug, a Fire Drake, or Dragon, if you are not familiar with the term. Quite astonishingly you made him diminish and protected our forest and the creatures within controlling the trees, roots, and surprisingly butterflies.”_

You nodded and let out a weak chuckle, _“Yes, my Professors kept complaining about them. I tend to hum in my sleep, and they sort of flock around me.”_

_“Butterflies are more than welcome here, as is your humming and singing. You are well?”_

You nodded, _“It used to leave me feeling drained.”_

_“Are you hungry?”_

You shook your head, _“Though I should probably change, I didn’t mean to keep your friends waiting.”_

He shook his head, _“Pay no mind to that. If you wish to change we will wait.”_ Leaning in he kissed you sweetly on the lips and pulled back to guide you to your room, outside which he waited for you to change.

.

Wetting your lips you smoothed your fingers over your ruffled sleeveless blouse tucked into a belt hiding the waistband of the black skirt with blue flowers across it reaching to just over your knees. Hastily you ran your fingers through your hair and sighed tilting your head back in a turn to head to the door mentally mumbling about how average your clothes looked compared to the Nobles’ fine silks and embroidered fabrics. Remaining barefoot you were glad your veins had returned to normal and you opened the door and peered up at the King looking you over.

Softly you said, _“I don’t have many fancy things. Is this ok?”_

He nodded, _“It looks wonderful.”_ His hand extended and he flashed you a grin in your palm laying on his, then he turned to guide you to the other Lords, who you waved at widening their grins and gaining a series of nods your way before you joined them in their stories they wished to share of their trip over widening your smile.

.

Conversation led to a stroll and on the edge of a river peering on at the string of boats tied up there leaving you on the shore peering down at the boat Thranduil was standing by while the others split up into their own for the usual river tour you hadn’t gone on yet. Smirks split across their faces when Thranduil extended a hand and caught your steady gaze on him, _“Allow me.”_

_“You want me to get on the boat?”_

He nods, _“Yes. I wished for you to see the river tour. The water is quite calm.”_

At that your eyes narrowed at him earning a muffled chortle from Elrond at the expression, _“I don’t trust you with boats.”_

His eyes narrow in return playfully and he offers his hand a bit closer to yours, _“You can trust me. We will sail smoothly.”_

Your arms cross, _“You always say that, and I always end up in the water.”_

_“That is not true.”_

A playfully challenging smirk eased on your face, _“Oh really?!”_ You raised a finger, _“My birthday-.”_

_“That was an accident. And completely sabotaged!”_

You nodded, _“Oh yes, the turtles three months later when you managed to convince me back onto the water again.”_

_“That boat was faulty and I had to swerve to miss them, that breed has fragile shells in their first century. Another unfortunate mistake.”_

A third finger is raised and you stated, _“You and your tall tales,”_ turned to Legolas, _“Your father has a bad history with boats 12 crashes, 6 complete turnovers and one split right down the center, and every time was never his fault.”_

Thranduil, _“I have never maliciously-.”_

He nods, _“Oh yes, Turgon was behind the turtles. Marya had distracted him the next three, ohh, and my personal favorite, King Dior’s hidden twin brother-.”_

Thranduil _, “He does have a twin!”_

Again you nodded and the Elves smirk in your turn to Legolas again, _“A twin, whose life mission was to try and sabotage his planned outings with me and steal me away to Tol Eressea for Manwe knows why.”_

Thranduil, _“He does love you! And he was ruthless!”_

You giggled then says, _“Oh yes, always the conspiracy theorist. Huan had a twin too, named Regorm.”_ Making Legolas smirk.

Thranduil, _“He answered to it!”_

_“You were waving chicken at him! A giant dog! He’d have run for the name Bardabock if you’d have called him that for chicken!”_

Thranduil can’t help but smile the longer your same argument lingered on, always the same one even after thousands of years. _“Even Thingol himself had stolen not one but three securing buckles from your knapsack as well, when my father saw him two miles away on the other side of Doriath. Why, even my friend Ecthellion-,”_ at that your grin dropped and you straightened up and in finally realizing the loving grin the King and all the others were sending your way you inhaled mumbling through a soft blush on your cheeks, _“I have no clue where that came from…”_

Thranduil moves closer cradling one of your hands with a sentimental grin, _“We have known one another for nearly all of my life. Your memories are returning.”_ He takes a step back, _“Now, please, sail with me?”_

You look to a servant after pursing your lips for a moment in thought, _“We’re going to need towels.”_ Making her smirk and bow her head in Thranduil’s eyes rolling. Lifting your arm he draped it around his neck and you let out a squeak in his lifting you to set you down into the boat that he stepped from the shallow edge up into it after pushing it off. Two bends later and a shriek from you ended with a splash. Breaking the surface again your eyes landed on the scowling wet cat of a King glaring at the rocks he swore wasn’t there two weeks ago when he had done his monthly run through of the path. That focused gaze broke at your bubbling laughter drawing his gaze and chuckles that only grew louder in your peck on his cheek and offer, _“Maybe I should steer this time.”_


	5. Paint Pt 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just don’t buy a goat. I don’t care what you do, just no goats.”

_“Two baskets down, then I can go and find-,”_ Silence fell over the teen boy whose eyes rose to the face of the glowing Valar King Orome standing ten feet tall with a wide grin on his face. Swallowing dryly Thranduil bowed his head, _“How may I be of service, King Orome?”_

_“Merely grant me a moment to share that I have chosen you to court my Little Pear.”_

Blinking up at the Valar King the corner of his brow twitched and he blankly replied, _“But, we, sell fruit…”_ The vast gap in the stations of your families all the more evident by the clear gasps from those nearby hearing that a shop boy had been chosen to court the elder of the only two children of the Valar Nobles.

A sudden bristling of Orome’s shimmering black curly beard was followed by a loud laugh brought with his bright smile stirring a bright glow in his purple eyes. A swift pat on the teen’s back had him swaying to keep steady, _“I knew you would be perfect! Now, best ready, I fully expect your first gift of courtship to my Pear at the Crescent Festival King Thingol is throwing for Telimektar and my Pear to honor their births. As her intended you will have a seat at our table, I have assured that myself.”_ Promptly he turned and left leaving the teen staring up at the spot the King once was.

A sharp turn of his body did nothing to break his haze at his mother’s call for him. Somehow in those few stolen moments, of which he had planned to steal another today. It had always been his dream, to win your hand, and somehow now he had been chosen to court you. It didn’t make any sense, none at all, why someone with as low standing as him was chosen. His family rarely was asked to attend the festivals as guests, mainly worked them, where he got the most time with you, or at least near you. Everyone had expected you to be bound to King Tulkas’ Son. Maiar had married Elves before, Thingol for example, but always Nobles or soldiers of great valor.

In his have of helping to pull more stock from the store room he heard his parents arguing over the best gift until it was time to close the shop and he was off to the markets. Behind him his mother cried out, _“Just don’t buy a goat. I don’t care what you do, just no goats.”_

The incident of the Elleth who produced a goat for a celebration Tulkas was heading playing fresh in his mind, with shouts from the fiasco fading at the growing ripples of comments of his being chosen. _‘Why him?’_ being the most popular. All leading to sharing comments on how his family had never attended such a highly ranked celebration before or even officially spoken to the Valar outside of selling to them or in your approved and monitored play dates as children. Shaking his head he reached up after shoving his coin purse in his pocket to fidget with the hair tie holding his fraying braid together in his stroll off the pathway and into the forest mumbling to himself, _“What in Arda am I supposed to buy a Valar Princess…”_

Before he realized it he’d traveled half a mile and entering a match of moss he slowed to a stop watching the butterflies hovering over freshly sprouted flowers from your mother’s stroll through the forest two days prior. King of the Forests and Queen of the Flowers, parents to the apparent ruler of these peaceful floating creatures, so beautiful and yet so fleeting living only a few days for some breeds. A grin eased onto his lips when he remembered your first trip to his family shop.

.

The innocent wide eyed gaze on your half covered face when he came back with the special breed of apples you had asked for in a small basket to find the room coated in butterflies. Hastily in his spreading grin you had stated as you lowered your hands, _“I can explain.”_ For a moment you paused then added, _“In my defense there’s lavender on the breeze, and I sneezed. I tried not to, but I did. Give me a moment…”_ You glanced around then a shriek sounded from the street outside in the swarm soaring out through the open doorway. Hurrying to the door your head popped out, _“Sorry! I sneezed…”_

The explanation was enough and relieved chuckles from the adults died in the sea of awed chuckles in the young Elves rushing out to enjoy the colorful flock while they scattered off to the gardens. Inside again you trotted and came to a sheepish twisting stop in front of the boy, whose cheeks lit up as yours did in the brushing of fingers when you accepted the basket. A quick passing of coins came and you were darting off out into the street to wherever you were designated to bring the basket to.

.

In another blink they seemed to be gone and he sighed crossing through the flowers carefully to continue on his wandering path. The other side of the colorful barrier the sound of a stream led him curiously to it. Between the lapping waters rolling over the stony bed leading from a larger river farther West a curious shade of green brought him closer. Crouching down his fingers dipped below the surface, the act distracting him from the smirk on Ulmo’s face in his hiding behind a large boulder farther down the stream. A curious grin eased onto the teen’s lips in seeing the odd green and black shimmering shell split open already having fed some creature to be left here to crumble eventually.

One thing popped into his mind and hurrying off he trotted past the shops, all now with signs having marked up the prices to keep him from affording anything they might assume you to have showed a possible interest in receiving for a gift. Every last one of them stared each day as he strolled past without glimpsing at a one of them.

.

The near bare wardrobe Thranduil had since his latest growth spurt left little to be worthy of such an occasion past his waiting uniform, yet the evening before it his lips parted in seeing the shimmering silver robes, pants and boots waiting for him there with a note marking it as from ‘a friend’.

No one could have been more nervous and somehow his seat at the table of Valar had been filled. Opposite you, beside Lady Luthien’s son Dior he sat listening to the Prince gush on and on about you. It seemed like it had been hours and finally when your fellow Valar and the Nobles after had given you their gifts it was time for your intended to present his. In front of all of the Valar, Doriath and Nobles from Gondolin he found his footing and inhaled deeply strolling around the table easing his hand in his pocket. Innocently you peered up at him with a curious grin and forcing himself not to catch your gaze until he’d presented it he managed to bring it out and offer it in his open palm.

In the center of his palm sat the entirely green and black shimmering necklace in the shape of a butterfly on the end of a woven chord parting your lips. All propriety of the gift was put into question as others scrutinized it from afar only to fall silent as your parents smirked watching you crash into Thranduil’s chest widening his eyes and spreading a blush across his cheeks that deepened in your wide smile up at him. _“Thank you. It is perfect. Would you help me?”_ The necklace was passed back and he nodded accepting the chord he shifted to drape around your head in your turn away and move of your hair. The twisting clasp was locked and at the final gift being given the music started and the pair of you sheepishly stood still while others filled the floor around you for the first dance of the evening.


	6. Paint Pt 5

It was very well known that Doriath was your home now that you and Thranduil were courting. From Gondolin Thingol had moved to Lindon, leaving his grandson Dior King of those lands. In your late teen years it was time to up your training and none other than your Uncle Tulkas had been tasked by himself to do so alongside his son.

Another well known fact was the random explosions had become common place in Doriath. Sheer focus did nothing for either of your budding powers still yet to be honed in entirely, meaning archery practice put even the Isitari’s finest firework shows to shame. Wide eyed with purses lips you both watched the targets get blown to shambles and the cascade of flower petals or pinecones that would rain down for you and the far more dangerous deer fur cast on gushing bursts of power for your cousin. Each time gaining loud laughs and words of praise from Tulkas in means to hone your explosions in a bit more.

…

A distant plume of smoke signaled trouble in Gondolin, in through the door Ecthellion strode _, “There’s been another Fire. Half the building has been destroyed…again.”_

Peering up at the Lord speaking to another trio of guards keeping watch over you while your father and uncle had gone to answer Manwe’s call, _“What are you looking at me for? I’ve been here the whole time!”_

More fires were started and screams filled the breeze and soon enough the fleeing masses raced through your kingdom already packing and readying to flee themselves at word the Feanoreans had means to take this kingdom as well. Lost in the fleeing hordes you caught whispers of the taken Nobles and your path had gone against all others.

Hours you had ran hearing the dying shouts of your name from Thranduil as his family urged on ahead to safety after packing up all they had including the belongings in your room in their home after having reached that solidifying level of courting.

Ahead of you in the dimming light of the setting sun you spied the cheer filled Feanorean forces beginning to divide what remained as spoils for a sort of celebration. Taking the back paths you crept your way through the city pointing others hiding still onwards to safety in your path to the inner circle.

Leaping up a series of mingling arches under the much taller roof aided in your sneaking through the palace following the sniffles and hushed whispers of Elwing’s to her younger twin brothers, Elured and Elurin. Unfortunately weaponless you made a stop at the kitchens due to the armory having been emptied in the fleeing when the attacks began. Nipping at your lip you peered around and with all the knives having been taken out for carving what food they had hunted along the way. Subtly behind the backs of two Noldor soldiers you leaned forward folding your hand around the handle of a cast iron skillet you raised and carried out of the opening you had entered from above the arches to make your way after the sniffles and cries.

It didn’t take long and wasn’t hard to find where they were being kept. Atop the arches you spied Dior and his wife Nimloth both on the edge of the balcony with tears filling your eyes as they blatantly refused to hand the silmarils over, their statements laced with tips on where their children were being held. Turning away at the locking of their hands you hurried away in their joint leap backwards into the ocean below.

Above a small dead end hall you inhaled deeply and focused your energy on the vase at the end of the hall that flew from one side to the other crashing against the stone shattering luring the guard away from the door to inspect what had happened. A glowing butterfly behind his back freed the keys from his belt loop and you crept across the archway through another small opening into the apartment suite in the Royal Wing far enough away they wouldn’t hear their parents’ screams or cries of agony. Between sniffles Elured tilted his head back in a chocked sob for air landing his eyes on you and your finger raised to your lips keeping Maedhros, who was pacing along the wall oblivious to your place here. Creeping down a sudden swing of the skillet when he turned again sent him into the wall after a heavy crash of metal echoing in the now silent room.

Hastily you tore the tether holding back the curtains and flopped him onto his stomach to bind his arms and legs together in a far from escapable contraption. More bindings were found and you untied the children helping them into a cupboard along the wall where you asked them, _“Could one of you do me a favor?”_ The trio nodded and you said, _“I need one of you to scream, loud as you can.”_

One by one each of the Sons of Feanor who had marched on you fell to your now badly dented skillet, and into a series of trunks you managed to drag their bodies into they were locked. The now floating trunks followed you through a back series of halls leading out to the empty stables, inside which you found a wagon you loaded up. Peering around you eyed the horses ridden here in the invasion in the distance all being brushed by their owners, wetting your lips you tried to think of a way to separate some of them only to turn your head at the sound of hooves tapping on the stone floor turning your head. Peering upwards you eyed the pair of Bull Moose that lowered their heads to you and the children and lined themselves up to the wagon for you to strap them onto it. Carefully you hid the children under an armored tarp on the back then hopped up onto the back of the left Moose in the absence of a seat on the wagon.

Heavy hooves was all the Feanoreans heard and splitting at the roars of the charging moose their horses could never dream to outrun they let you, just another escapee in their minds take what you had stolen to race off into the wilderness. From Gondolin to Doriath you rode, and there atop the hilly entrance of your now abandoned city you heard the soldiers in the city behind you screaming out in fear as a giant row of waves began washing into the city toppling its towers triggering a flight of their own. Lowly you whispered, _“We better go.”_

The curious Moose, now remembering the innocents on their backs turned to charge off again following the tracks of those who had fled days prior, slowing only to pick up straggling women and children that had hidden or gotten left behind in the confusion. Now free from their hiding place the trio of silver haired heirs to Thingol sat atop Maglor’s trunk with hair whipping behind them watching a path clear and the trees behind you shuffle to close in worsening the path of any foes behind you at the sound of the roaring waves careening through the lands you had just fled.

**

Nearly two days the Doriathian and Gondolian Elves had raced with all they could carry and in their resting try for a meal gasps stirred up as they all turned to watch the kingdoms in the distance sinking and collapsing into the oceans. Heavy hooves sounded and screams rose up in the panicking Elves who found their feet again readying to flee. _“They have caught us!!”_

_“Run!!”_

_“Everyone-,”_

The roar of the Moose under you halted those movements as it came paired with the swooping of multiple brightly colored flocks of birds announcing your approach causing Thranduil to leap up from his place atop the wagon holding your belongings to race through the sea of Elves parting for him to do so. Heavy crashes came with the scent of dirt sent up in the skidding stop of the Moose panting to calm themselves and wide eyed Thranduil eyed the pair. Your leap down brought his eyes to you and straight into his chest you crashed in a tight hug as the rest of the crowd let out gasps and cries of joy that the trio of heirs and those forgotten had been found, the latter leaping down to race to their own families.

Pulling back Thranduil’s hands cupped your cheeks and his eyes looked over your face, _“Please, never do that again.”_

A weak chuckle came from you before you said, not just to him but the others around you falling silent at your voice, _“The land is sinking. We must cross that ridge by nightfall, or we sink with it.”_

The distance was eyed and nods rippled through the crowds with all unable to keep the pace loaded atop the wagons and carriages for the long train of Elves more than agreeable to the final stretch to go still with the promise of safety. Behind you on the wagon Thranduil sat as you rode your Moose, his questions about all you had done and seen confirmed with the face indented bloody skillet on the floor at his feet as he broke off pieces of his pack of lembas to split between the Nobles passing around his canteen.

Lindon had been found and the Grey Havens had taken up the overfill, Thingol lavished praise onto you for saving his kin and all through the celebratory dinner your head kept turning to glance off in the distance. Night had found you in an apartment shared with Thranduil and his family, though morning had brought you to the balcony overlooking the garden in which the stirring captives of yours had been stirring. One by one they eyed the butterflies resting peacefully on the ground until they each tried to escape when they would be attacked and frightened back to their former places until you and Cirdan had come to an agreement. The glowing gems they had searched for were theirs, but alone they stood in this Elven haven and under heavy watch to keep them from attacking again.

Calls from the East loaded you back on your wagon, and in the hundreds of thousands Elves followed after you wondering where your heart would settle down roots. Thingol would soon fall, for his own greed, and under the guard of Melian, his wife, the trio was transferred back to your care alongside the Silvan Elves who clung to your rule instantly through Oropher until you were wed and considered old enough to rule alone. The explosions of your training began again, and before long ceased in your growing control. Still war found you in Melkor’s rise alongside his pupil Sauron, both of whom were floored to see the band of brothers among your ranks all bent on bringing them down.

**

The arrow dream again tore you rather abruptly from sleep and straight to the King’s room again you went. The silence inside had you creeping inside peering through the hall into each room until your eyes fell to the hot spring sunken tub fed by a waterfall, the absence of an answer clearly explained by the King’s head currently under the waterfall rinsing his hair. Over to the edge you strolled and waited, lowering to sit cross legged on the edge of the tub.

A second glance back in the search for the floating soap try had him winding up his hair he wrung out in his stride across the tub, _“Another dream? Or was it the same one?”_

Wetting your lips you replied, _“I remember how Doriath and Gondolin were sunk.”_

He nodded and laid his hands on either side of your legs, _“Yes, that is one of the more troubling memories we have shared.”_

_“What, happened? To Feanor’s kids? The ones I kidnapped?”_

Thranduil smirked, _“They are in Lindon still, where we left them, under Cirdan’s watch.”_

_“Do they hate me?”_

The frankness and rapidity of the question stirred a deep chuckle from him and he shook his head, _“Not at all. There was a grudge, at first, but after the Great Wars and our truce we became quiet irreproachable friends.”_

_“But, I kidnapped them.”_

Making him smile adoringly at you, _“No less than they deserved for ransacking Gondolin after attacking that harbor. You reminded them of their path and aided alongside Tulkas in the destruction of Melkor. In fact, if I might shed a bit more light, your introduction to that particular set of Lords is mostly why Lady Galadriel is so spotty on her wish for your company. While Lord Celeborn has written to me almost daily and has expressed a wish to come visit you.”_

Partially not understanding what he’d said you wet your lips in another brief nod then asked, _“The twins, and Elwing?”_

Thranduil chuckled lowly, _“Have lived here since the passing of King Thingol.”_

_“They live, here? I’ve seen them?!”_

He nodded and cradled your cheek stilling your body’s rush to shift into full panic attack mode, _“When Elves return it is a universal gesture for those of us knowing them in their previous life to simply wait until we are remembered naturally. You will know them at once in time. We can wait.”_ Leaning in he pressed a warm kiss to your cheek closing your eyes, _“Now, let me climb out and dress, I will write to Lindon and have our friends travel to see us. No doubt by then you will have remembered more.”_ You nodded and kept your eyes closed deepening his grin in his move to pull to your side and climb out to dry and tug on his sleeping pants. Ruffling the towel through his hair behind you he missed the opening of your eyes threatening to fill with tears at the weight of all your questions, mostly those revolving him, you and Legolas.

 _“Were we happy?”_ That question made him freeze and turn to you at the sadness bubbling in your voice, _“Before I died? All of us?”_

Tossing the towel away he crossed to you and knelt behind you back scooping you up into his chest where he lulled your eyes shut again in another warm kiss to your cheek before he hummed, _“We still are.”_ You nodded and sniffled in the easing of his arms more around your center shifting you to nearly be in his lap almost, _“Come with me, off to bed, I will hold you.”_ Lifting you bridal style in his rise the King peppered your cheek with kisses all the way to bed, where he had done as he’d said, laid out with you draped across his side in his arms, how you had chosen to lay.

Peering up at him his adoring gaze deepened into yours as you said, _“I’m so sorry I don’t remember all of you.”_

He shook his head, _“You do. Somewhere in your heart you do. Do not fret over it. I have you here, in my arms, all I need.”_

_“I will try to hurry my memory along.”_

Thranduil chuckled saying, _“Please do not do that, every time you are rushed, there are fireworks.”_

_“Is that why no one had offered to train me in archery yet?”_

Thranduil chuckled again, _“My Darling Starlight, if you wish to train I will give you a lesson myself in the morning. Best wait till sun up before the fireworks begin.”_

_“You are sure no one’s afraid of me?”_

He chuckled and nodded, _“Only Meadhros,”_ making your head tilt to peer up at him and his chuckling smirk, _“But only when you have a skillet in your hand. His nose is still a bit crooked after you dented it with his face.”_ Making you giggle and nuzzle up against his side, focusing on his heartbeat as you buried your doubts and questions of how you truly knew the King and his son, the two most visibly pained in your amnesia.

_“What about the Moose? What happened to them?”_

_“They are also waiting patiently, we can see them in the morning if you wish.”_

You nodded again and in your rapid inhale to ask another question he shifted to mold more around you with a deepening grin eager to hear all you were trying to remember of your previous lives. _“Why do I remember catching you proposing to one of my Moose?”_

A deep laugh left the King and he purred back, _“I was nervous. When you remember more of our lives I will give you all the finer details.”_


	7. Lawless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He thinks he’s a mind reader.”   
> “He’s a bad kisser.”  
> “That wasn’t very subtle.”  
> “And that’s how you ruin a life. Congratulations.”

The world was in flames, and all there was to do was follow your orders. Men were off to war, women off to forge more weapons and armor for those men, and just where were you? Well, you were 7, so for some Manwe forsaken reason you were being sent off to some Numenorean territory named Rivendell.

One of the thousands of Teleri children, well, half in your case, you could have gone to your cousin’s in Lothlorien. It looked so lovely on the post cards, and yet you were off to some pompous prick of a godfather, who nominated himself for the task simply by bribing one of the nurses in the hospital to let him sign on that line after ‘arriving late’ to your birth. Centuries he had tried to weasel into your family line, and now with you what he had expected to bring riches brought only another mouth to feed, an opinionated one at that.

The war seemed endless and your hopes at the handful of braincell wielding Elf in your charge having a clue as to take care of you would soon wither and die, right before dramatically spontaneously combusting of course, because your life seems to do nothing in halves. If you’re meant to be miserable the world would see to it you were the worst off person in it, and it rarely wished for you to be anything but it seemed.

.

Deeply your dark brows knit as you sat cross armed in the back of your driver manned car for the lonely drive to your school, your gaze cast down at the pastel orange socks tucked up to your knees under a plaid pastel orange and black skirt matching your socks. A matching blouse was topped with a plaid tie matching your skirt under your black crest bearing sweater with sleeves ended with pastel orange fringe you wanted to cut off. Following the strict hair requirements your white golden shimmering curls were tucked back in a long braid topped and ended with matching orange bows. You weren’t mad at the style, it was quite comfy, the irritation however was with the fact that along with the other upturned children you had been assigned your own color. Rank was everything, and each was sorted by color, orange being the lowest.

Already you had been assigned a new name, as part of the terms of your rehousing you had to abandon your birth names and accept Middle Earth focused names. Honestly you couldn’t have imagined how much harder this would have been had you not, Snowflake, that was what Nieninque meant, and now Jaqiearae Pear, the first name meaning jackrabbit, the equivalent of Bunny in Hobbitish, a ‘cute’ name your mother loved. So here you sat an angry bunny waiting with your arms wrapped around your permitted black satchel.

The city you had been dropped into you had grown far too irritated to cast your silver flecked purple eyes out onto the streets in your focus to just get through the day. The white marble building soon became everything visible through the car window. The door parting you was opened by the aid outside and the expecting grin dropped when the color of your uniform was realized. Out you climbed and joined the flock of other orange clad students in the sea of sea foam and coral clad students around the few royal blue and silver for the few children of Nobles in the mix. To each of the rehomed students the rules were made clear, boundaries had to be set and it was made clear that no exceptions would be made.

But clearly rules are made to be broken, or completely ignored. Two weeks now you had watched the new blonde Noble boy who had taken the desk, books, supplies and even games and in his move to grab your assigned pair of scissors for your upcoming crafts project you would have to pair up for. A hidden swat from the teacher’s view brought the boy’s icy blue eyes to land on you as you whispered, _“There are rules, and so far you’ve broken all of them. That is your cubby, Mr Lawless.”_

Taking the supply filled small woven tote you carried to your desk in the start of your class. The desk on your right however was taken, not by the usual sea foam clad girl but the blonde boy with his own woven tote set on the desk and bag hung on his hook on the side of your joined desks. Leaning over in the situating of pages in the teacher’s hands he said, _“You should tell me the other rules I’ve missed.”_ At that, had you been the hero of your own tale, your nemesis had been born. The cocky self assured boy now mimicked your every move taking notes on all the rules you recited and said he would share them with all the other Nobles who were also unaware of them.

All day he did that, in each class you shared he clung to your side rubbing in the vast difference between your ranks all the way until his flag bearing car picked him up at the end of the day while you sat outside waiting for your own car to arrive under the watch of the put off aid tasked to do so. Nearly an hour you waited until finally the driver rushed out apologizing from a new car explaining that the Lord had taken the other and this one needed to have the tires aired up and the tank refilled, by the time he had gotten you inside the aid had left more frustrated at his saying anything at all.

And off to the large home you went to quietly take your place in your room in the house keeper’s quarters to keep from annoying the Lord who loved frequent parties, of which he was throwing one now. Alone while the servants tended to him and his guests you fixed yourself a grilled cheese and a can of ravioli you cleaned up after then went to your room to try and sleep hoping the blonde would leave you alone. Though hopes were soon dashed as for the next 53 years of your school lives his game wouldn’t stop, pick up in fact and change your entire life.

***

Times were hard all around, and even the Great Greenwood had taken their own place in the war, meaning the King Oropher had to be traveling often. In his absence to ensure the safety of his Wife and Son they were sent to the protective watch of Lord Elrond in Rivendell for possibly a year at the longest until things calmed down. Weeks now he had mingled with the familiar faces from family events and tried to figure out what exactly to do. Past the obvious basic task they were meant to achieve nothing had been shared not even where he was meant to sit, at least not till today.

Giddily in his ride home he grinned looking over his notes and couldn’t wait until he could get back to school again to share all he’d learned with his family friends. Into the lavish apartment he skipped and left his bag at the table and climbed up onto a stool beside his mother to claim a tight hug making her giggle and ask, _“Enjoy your day at school, Little Bud?”_

Bright eyed he answered, _“I made a new friend today! There’s a whole bunch of rules I didn’t even know about, but she started to tell me and I’ve got them all written down. I could have gotten in a lot of trouble. But I won’t now, thanks to my new friend.”_

Sweetly she kissed his forehead and said, _“That is good to hear.”_

_“Like Ada says, ‘No one is above the law, not even the King himself.’ Good I learned now. What example would that set?”_

_“What else did you learn about your new friend?”_

_“She is excellent at sketching and smells like green apples!”_ Making her chuckle again and guide him on helping to fix up a snack while a pair of cooks made the full dinner for the pair of them.

**

…

Two more months and you tolerated the clingy Prince and his gaggle of Nobles all stirring up disbelieving stares from the teachers at the refugee who had weaseled into their circle far above your station. Yet in your thriving place in classes rising to the top along side the Prince claiming your partner role each time applicable leading to today, a quartet of poem projects you all had written were to be chosen for presenting in an upcoming show for the students attending showcasing the best from each grade.

Outside the Headmaster’s office you sat listening to the Prince boasting on and on about how his father had come to town and would be here for the show. Heavy footsteps echoed in the hall and instantly your forced grin dropped and you hopped up to your feet from the bench only to nearly go flying at the harsh slap across your face. Open mouthed Thranduil watched the Lord Q grip you by the braid tugging your head back painfully making his fist clench. _“What have you done now, little Tol cretin?!”_

A hard blow to his groin had the Lord release your hair to grip himself and drop to his knees while the woman behind the counter called for security, who came rushing around the corner. In his lunge for the Prince he was raised from the ground and thrown into the wall and bound after as Thranduil crouched beside you with a tissue he pulled from the pack in his bag he used to help blot the stream of blood from the cut on your cheek from his jeweled ring. Timidly you looked him over and sat quietly while the Lord was arrested and the King and Queen arrived to hear the whole thing. The more the staff looked at you condescendingly with constant mentions of the differing of class even as children it was made clear that the school was clear the Prince had a valid reason and in the middle of their try to blame the whole thing on you was severed by Thranduil’s crying out that you were his friend and you didn’t do anything, a fact the woman who called security confirmed.

Around you your life was decided, the Prince’s clear bond to you had the officials contacted by Lord Elrond that you would be rehoused once again, though instead of off to Lindon, where other children deemed unruly had been sent, you were moved into the custody of the Wife of the Elf in charge of the King’s herds. The couple had fostered dozens of children over the years and with this many students being shipped off you were joined by a normally silent girl who lived down the block from you and your mother you explained only spoke in sign after her father had shipped out. You were glad to have a familiar face of your own and Tulip beamed at having one of her own, yet still in your glance back at the Prince in your guided path to pack your things to move to another new home you mumbled to yourself mentally, **_“And that’s how you ruin a life. Congratulations.”_**

…

That move was followed by another not four months later, when Greenwood was safe you and Tulip joined Lady Marya back to Greenwood to move officially into your new bedrooms in their cottage on the Palace grounds. Ringwe, her husband headed the care of the King’s herds, and when you got settled you were welcomed to learn at his side. The older you got the more you took on adding to your studies, and sure enough at your elbow the Prince when able to run off you had been working at the zoo that captures injured wildlife who were injured in the wars, mainly the arctic creatures from near Helcrax you loved especially. Yet always the Prince once his daily tasks were done since the first day of learning where you were he would go to help you, ever eager to see you master the creatures most likely to kill someone your size. The sheer awkwardness of your relationship was becoming dangerously close to something like friendship.

Mid teens had been supposed to be trying, and yet it was the most trying of all. From orange to mint green you had been traded in colors and treated far greater once people knew the new girl was the Crown Prince’s friend. Yet by your next birthday those like you also from Tol Eressea were being shipped back home as soon as word of their relatives in the recovering island kingdom could be contacted. The monthly calls from your father was scheduled for tonight and even at the call from his father to come out to some official meeting the Prince had asked to spend his night at your apartment once again to study and wait with you.

Ten o clock was reached and a call was given to inform the King of where his son still was. Right where he had found you he sat to your left still keeping hold of your hand chatting with you ignoring the stabbing of his heart at the tears rolling down your cheeks and forced calm exterior in waiting. Through the doorway Oropher peered on at you both then turned to follow Ringwe off into the kitchen leaving you still on the bench in the hall by the table with the phone on it waiting for the call. _“Does the call usually come this late?”_ The expression on Ringwe’s face made his drop and he asked lower, _“What happened?”_

Ringwe produced a letter form his pocket he passed the King to lowly reply, _“This came yesterday. Her parents fell.”_

Oropher looked to the door, _“But, she’s-,”_

Ringwe nodded and said, _“It hasn’t sunk in yet. Tulip flew back last week, and now the day before Jaqi’s call, this. She has a distant cousin in Lothlorien, however his Wife refused to take her.”_

Oropher, _“You aren’t shipping her away, are you?!”_

Ringwe shook his head, _“No, not at all_.” Wetting his lips, _“A series of lawyers are flying out to handle the passing of her estate. Storage trailer from their home and all the finances including the liquidated prices of the sold home her mother had.”_

In the peaking of his curiosity he asked, wondering at your true name, _“Does it say who her kin is?”_

Ringwe wet his lips, _“Apparently her mother was King Elmo’s son’s consort. He was betrothed to a Princess of some great line before the war, her uncle is taking up the union now.”_

Barely above a whisper he parroted back, _“Elmo…”_ he wet his lips, _“Her mother?”_

Ringwe shook his head, _“From the letters there is not title, merely her name in Vanyar Runes. Jaqi’s name has no title either.”_

Oropher, _“Still, the only child of Elmo’s eldest, to a Consort or not, there is no reason she should have been treated so lowly in being shipped away.”_

Ringwe, _“Perhaps it was to keep her from being singled out.”_

The pair kept watch of you while Marya kept pacing in the kitchen pretending she wasn’t dying to rush out and hold you the nearer it got to midnight when the dam broke and your face was covered by your hands and true to his decided place as your friend he tugged you into his chest holding you tightly wishing he could do more for his best friend whose life was shattered again. Hours he kept hold of you and the King and Queen agreed to let him stay the night knowing there would be little sleeping or anything else past crying and in the morning that was found to be truthful as across a lounge in the sitting room you were still just as puffy, tear stained and blotchy yet finally asleep beside the equally as blotchy cheeked Prince. Very few others were left in Greenwood from your home, and together you banded together sharing your letters and pictures from those who had returned even at the threat of tears.

…

Days seemed to even out as your trust was settled, and more and more you were brought along to more official events. Each time aloofly sneaking away to explore or read with the Prince soon following after. Always the week before you were pampered and primped and helped into the most lavish of gowns to fit the affair that always complimented Thranduil’s. Yet your slipping away was followed by reminders that the Prince was needed and not long after that you were expected to dance at least once.

Within the crowds eyes were always on you and due to your rumored bloodline a great deal of Nobles nudged their children towards becoming your friends, or possibly more. Strolling through the sea of expecting teens right up to the Prince’s back you went and his eyes went wide in your grip on his braid and step away from him making him turn with his braid falling onto his chest in your release of it. Mouths dropped open at your tug on his hair yet in the turn under the braid his hand outstretched to plant on your lower back silencing offences as it marked you as one of the few allowed by him to touch him. **_“That wasn’t very subtle.”_**

 _“You brought me and I’m being forced to dance and now so are you. Consider it practice for your Kingly duties you will be forced through.”_ Lowly behind your back he chuckled and took his place in the sea of couples in the mingling dance granting more than a few other teens chances to observe the Prince’s reactions in their time taking hold of you between twirls and lifts.

…

53 years had passed and in the first month of your time at Greenwood U again it was hard to find a moment where the Prince wasn’t at your side. Still you held your job swimming through the water pens of Polar bears, seals and otters to assist in scrubbing them and removing litter from rude guests. Thranduil however was kept to aiding in feeding times and helping to keep the land portions tidy and safe with tons of toys for the young litters the public loved to come and witness in their times clambering over the Prince and his odd friend stirring up confusing seas of rumors.

.

Strolling through the covered patio you passed through the tables of other students eating their lunches, on one a pair of girls peered on at a duo of guys at the next table glaring at one another. _**“He thinks he’s a mind reader.”** _Someone explained in your path onwards to the empty table you normally chose.

Sure enough when you had taken your seat Thranduil had left the cafeteria a trio of young women eager to win the Prince over sat down still talking about their exes, **_“He’s a bad kisser.”_**

The one next to her grinned and pressed her arms together around her chest in a lean forward as Thranduil came closer asking, _“What about you, Pear, any boyfriends?”_

_“Few.”_

The brunette between the blondes said as Thranduil sat peering at you in setting down his lunch, _“Ooh, do tell.”_

The left blonde, _“First off, how tall?”_

_“Just over seven feet when they straighten up.”_

Collectively they ‘oohed’ and the right blonde still focused on Thranduil in asking, _“What about the hair?”_

_“Blonde of course.”_

Brunette, _“How come we never see you with them?”_

You shrugged, _“They don’t get out much. Pretty restrictive daily lives.”_

The questions continued to blur on and the more they did Thranduil couldn’t help but smirk in your tale revealing to him you were alluding the polar bears you had befriended were your former boyfriends. When the trio flitted away for their next classes you cleaned up taking a stroll before yours. Fidgeting the strap on his shoulder to his bag he asked, “So, do you _have any ex boyfriends?”_

Gigling to yourself you asked, _“You mean between the nights you come over to study, after the days you spend by me and school and in my shifts at work?”_ He nodded and you shook your head, _“Nope. You? Hiding a Lady Love in any closets back in the Palace?”_

Chortling at the notion he replied playfully, _“No, but there is this one otter that’s fond of me.”_ Making you giggle again in his low chuckle.

.

The matter of dates came up and for good reason, the Feast of Starlight was coming up again and this year would be a masked ball. Again your favored color was chosen by Thranduil, and after the sea of Elves had been waded through the yellow robe clad Prince chased after glimpses of you in the crowds until a stolen looping of fingers around your wrist brought you with a spin into the couples to the dance floor. Five dances later and in his being called away you were gone when he turned back again bringing back his smirk at the challenge to go find you when his introductions were through.

Sure enough in the window seat under the light of the lanterns and stars you were relaxed with a book in your palms. The words of all the great poets swooned and awed at the objects of their affections while your heart ebbed and flowed from the withheld affection for a bond you could never claim. Your best friend, the one who you deemed to have taken you as a plaything or pet when you were little had exploded into something just as troubling, though now for entirely different reasons. The Prince set to marry well, certain to leave you mingled in that fate tragically when the match occurred leaving you to wonder just where you would try to visit in hopes of finding your own possible someone that might make you happy. Key word, might. But they would never be a Prince able to show you a life similar to what should have been yours, had you just been considered a legitimate heir. Could have beens weighed heavily on you and mingled with never wills hurting you.

Arms came from behind you to lift you just barely and in his usual fashion the Prince settled behind you with a leg curled under yours covered by the layered yellow jewel lined skirt of your corseted gown. Against his chest you were drawn and draping his silver wrap around you both his arms laced around your middle in the planting of his chin to your shoulder peering down at the poem on the open page. The reflection of his eyes accented by the shimmering silver mask and circlet above it luring your attention from the page at his focused gaze on the page instead of your eyes glowing between the slits on the yellow shimmering mask matching the yellow jeweled tiara resting in your curls.

The silence between you split as he lowly shared, _“Ada instructed me, he is to announce my betrothal tonight. You will be there? I couldn’t do this without you.”_

Forcing a grin as your mind flashed to the month of browsing designs for possible engagement rings for the occasion at his side several choices were presented to him for the final choice. All of whom were far from your taste, so at the very least the Elleth of his choosing would not have the ring of your dreams along with the Prince. _“And miss having the eligible Elleths tripping on their gowns on the steps to scramble up after you? Never.”_

Silence came again after the awkward chuckle he gave, and in a stolen glance at him you said, _“Hey, Mr Lawless.”_

The smirk ghosting across his lips faded as his eyes shifted you then clamped shut at the sudden press of your lips to his. Unable to hold it anymore you stole a kiss, and surprisingly your cheek was cupped and his head tilted to lean into the kiss now steadily growing more loving. Sheer silent affection for decades had bubbled up and in the seemingly spinning room you were anchored between his legs in his warm arms lost in finally broaching the subject of your passions severing at the telling horns ending the music. Nipping at his lip Thranduil watched you slide out of his hold from your seat to stand, a ruffle of your skirt later you turned with palm extended forcing a grin, _“Come on, let’s go get you up on your balcony.”_

Shifting his legs to plant his feet on the ground his hands rose to ease around and cradle your hand, the metal band of the ring formerly hidden in his curled fingers now rested on your index finger to the sound of Oropher announcing the hidden surprise to the festival. Shaking his head he replied, _“Not yet, Snowflake.”_

Inhaling sharply you eyed the woven white stone coated bands under the rounded square shimmering white stone matching it, your dream ring now resting on your finger, _“Wh-,”_

Standing up in the withdraw of your hand he planted a hand on your hip closing the distance between you to cup your cheek with the other hand. Not to kiss you but to hold you close, his lips moving past your mouth to your ear where he hummed, _“All my life I have waded through oceans of faces aimed at me, yours is the one I have always searched for. ‘Blunt, honest and true’, that is what my parents told me to look for and from the moment you swatted at me I knew my choice would always be you.”_ Warmly his lips met your cheek and your hands clutched at the fabric covering his ribs and his head turned to brush his nose against yours to hum, _“I would never choose another, not even with those hideous ring choices you gave me,”_ making you giggle, _“Don’t think I didn’t notice that.”_

Again your lips met his and he melted against you again with a content hum then you said, _“Best hop to it then, before they find you in a compromising position.”_

 _“We are engaged,”_ he said drawing you flat against his chest again, _“Unless you say otherwise I can be as compromised as you allow.”_ Making you roll your eyes as he chuckled after stealing a quick peck on your lips. Pulling back your head nodded and he sighed following after you with his arm draped around your back. _“Just one more dance then we can hide again.”_

 _“Promises, Promises.”_ Making him chuckle again and join you out onto the Royal balcony beside the King for the announcement that to your surprise earned rousing cheers and sure enough the one dance bled into five before you were able to sneak out again back to the library, where before you were helped back to your reading window seat his hand tugged you behind a row of books when a guard came through and for a few heated moments again you were pinned to his chest through another impassioned kiss with your giddily still chuckling and smirking Prince.


	8. Falling Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walking outside, it’s early morning and all you can hear is the crunch of snow and ice under your feet.

Whoever said Elves were not jolly hadn’t seen these. Scowl didn’t come close. A wrong turn and a flipping rain induced accident had you and your over turned wagon rolling into the fields just outside of Rivendell in the middle of their fighting off a band of wargs, was there a thank you when your wagon crashed into four of them? No. Months you had traveled and where did your effort land you, heavily bandaged and waiting in the prison cells in the lowest levels of Rivendell.

Lord Elrond was meant to be so much more than the battle worn Elf who had simply had you locked away to deal with later. But beggars can’t be choosers, nor can prisoners. From the early rainy spring all the way to the final week of fall you were set aside to question later with nothing to do but knit and stitch your days and nights away. Fifteen quilts, 27 sweaters and 48 mittens paired with both hats and scarves later and your supplies had come to an end. The fabric you were trying to take to Dale to barter now was next to worthless to anyone not approving of the patterns chosen.

It truly was innocent and just when you imagined you could plead your case you had been moved, simply to house more threatening Men in your cell instead. One of the guards having kept daily notes on your peaceful yet slightly irritated hums to yourself and acceptance of your having to wait had vouched that you were not a danger. Off to house arrest you went, one of the tiniest rooms now housed your wares and each day you were granted a guarded stroll through a nearly abandoned stretch of gardens out of anyones way. Time you took to your advantage as did the guard, who was glad to see you so relaxed now in your feigned freedom while random servants passed you by wondering where they had seen you before.

‘Just one of those faces’ is what you always said, but honestly you had no clue who you came from, a band of Hobbits had found you clad in bloody armor washed up on their shores. And the symbol on it transferred to a wood coin around your neck was what you held onto hoping one day someone might know what it meant. Yet as fall stretched on and the air grew colder the Men were sent back to Gondor to face their trials and you were left to your apartment as Elrond had yet to deal with what he imagined to be your pent up rage at him having put you off for so long.

.

Winter was coming and in the first crisp wind signaling snow over the night. Even among the Hobbits you loved the snow, yet you never understood why when Elves naturally were depressed in winter, then again with little history to pull from there were countless things possibly contributing to it. A little boy’s sigh sounded and by his tone of mumbles when Elrond called ‘Estel’ back to his studies you would have imagined his young life was over already at the first white fleck in the sky.

Also trapped was the band of Greenwood Elves having traveled with their King and Prince trapped in this ravine of a kingdom at the iced over paths surrounding it. One arrival however gave you something short of an answer, the Lord Glorfindel has returned from escorting the Men Just in time and his path from the stables straight past you on your stroll had you nearly in the bushes at his tackling hug as he called out, “Echo!”

.

So now you had a name, and part of a story, the Elf confused as to how you had forgotten your life the scar under a strip of hair you brushed back came as an answer. Places, faces and random memories were what you had, no names or dates though. You did recognize the Lord who claimed he aided your father in raising you alone. Daughter to a Lord of Fountains now miles under the ocean, lot of good that did you. At least you knew now, and the Elves surrounding you were more than remorseful and began to extend their daily lives to fill your now free days to explore and enjoy the snow capped city worsening their moods at having waited so long that you missed it at its pinnacle of beauty in the year.

Curious stares and timid flashes of grins in you passing left little comfort as even now when everyone knew your name you still had no true friends to spend your time with while Glorfindel was on his rounds between times with you to learn all he’d missed since last seeing you in the First Age and rekindle your bond. One person especially seemed interested in growing closer to you, the awed stares of the young boy in your daily strolls found him wide eyed at the shimmering black curls laying down your back and bright silver flecked purple eyes. Though always he was off again searching for the Prince from Greenwood to fill his days as he felt the gardens were off limits due to the snow.

If anything had irritated you more than the obvious scuffle, while you waited for your belongings to be sent from the Shire after sending an owl off with a letter for your adopted family to pack and have shipped off with the usual band of Rangers taking up the task of transporting shipments from the Shire. You ached to hear the city full of giggles and cheer and felt yourself still pausing along the way as if to let the nonexistent fauntlings to rush past you towards another undisturbed patch of snow. Something had to be done, and it seemed you were the only one to do it and thanks to the growing snow flurries filling the city you had ample supplies to do so.

..

A shovel was found and you were off. Thankfully you were nearly the only one awake on this half of the kingdom and you put it to good use. **_Walking outside, it’s early morning and all you can hear is the crunch of snow and ice under your feet._** A stop for cocoa and some food left you hearing distant chuckles making you smirk as the sun began to rise.

Through the walkways were dozens of what appeared to be fluffy cygnets in a wobbly trail out into the center gardens. Curiously the Elves all followed the trail when the lifelike statues of snow would not budge and in the center garden was where they found a five foot tall swan seated on its belly with a wing raised it appeared to be preening. Around it the awed Elves circled waiting for any sign of a heartbeat as their eyes took in the tiny telling sparkles on each detailed feather and detail signaling the material used to craft the flock. A loud gasp from Estel on his way to breakfast had him crouching to inspect a group of cygnets before he trotted into the garden only to giggle at the real pair of swans that had come to inspect their giant kin as well wondering why the Elves had been drawn to it.

Honks filled the city when more came to inspect the statues, a few of which were knocked over and crumbled stirring up a fuss and sending feathers flying to blend into the snow until they eventually calmed. Only a few guards had known it was you, yet after your swans had been made you were gone from sight well into the afternoon.

Sighing again you found Estel seated on a bench peering out at the snow longingly making you smirk and give the doorway a knock making him turn and peer at you wide eyed noticing the bundle of clothes in your hands. _“Care to play?”_

_“But, the snow…”_

Moving closer you offered him a sweater, he pulled on with a scarf, hat and mittens to add on the curious boy now peering up at you making you giggle and offer your hand, _“Come on. I’ll show you how fun the snow can be.”_

.

Atop a hill you caught sight of a group of curious Elves, including Lord Elrond, who heard that you had taken the young boy out into the snow. On your hip for the trot up the three foot deep snow with a wooden sled in your other hand furrowing their brows in curiosity. Among the growing group was the King and Prince both watching you settle him in front of you then slide down the large hill. Wide eyed and gripping your arms Estel sat stunned until you stopped then blinked up at the Lords a few yards away ready to snatch him away until a loud laugh left him and he bounced up taking hold of the rope turning the sled around with you still on it giggling, _“Again!”_

Popping up you picked up both and raced back up the hill for the second ride now filled with his giggles and cheers lasting as Elrond’s sons found their own sleds and drug Legolas along with them. When the giggles died down a gentle scoop of snow tossed at the boy’s arm had him look down then back up to you as you made another ball, crouching down he copied your actions and in the gentle snowball fight.

A growl of his stomach had you claiming his hand again to guide him to your new apartment, inside which the curious Lords and Princes caught a whiff of the stew you had prepared in the covered pot on the stove. Clearly prepared for this you set out the bowls of stew for all of them along with your supply of cocoa and grilled cheeses you made to help warm the young boy up again brightening his smile as you shared a few stories the Hobbits usually share through the winter months.

Bouncing and ready to play again his hand melted into yours and you were off to show him another of your surprises. Back in the abandoned gardens you used to stroll through his mouth fell open seeing the ice castle you had made glittering brightly he shot forward to inspect. Nearly on all fours you giggled and shot after him with the smirking twins right after. Again the snowball fight was picked up and through the random skylights giggles filled the air form all of you. Even Legolas had grinned joining Glorfindel in playing when he had returned from his early rounds.

The next goal of yours was to loosen the scowl on the clearly irritated King muttering o himself of all his usual winter habits being so far away in the kingdom he could not reach thanks to the snow his son was now playing in. Through the open archways he was pacing in a crash of snow splattering across his chest from the cold circle on the side of his arm you had clipped made him freeze and turn to confront you. _He was not playing, he was not even looking your way, this was uncalled for,_ all this rattled around his head as he approached you outside the castle ducking to make another snowball to hit one of the Princes popping up through the skylights of the castle once again.

A shadow falling on you made you peer upwards and stand for him to say, _“Is this how you treat nobility in your Hobbit lands? By throwing snow at them?”_

You shrug, _“Never saw a King among them. Hobbits have Thains, and even they find the energy to smile from time to time. They’re not afraid of snow. So, no.”_

Frozen in place the others watched the agitated King and his telling eyebrow twitch while Elrond hid his reaction with a sip of tea from the mug in his hands, _“I am not afraid. However there will be consequences.”_

You tilt your head in another shrug, _“You know, that sort of requires me going down peacefully. Where as, in fact, to punish me you’d have to catch me Mr Grumpy Gills.”_

His lips part and you dart off into the ice castle. Exhaling sharply his scowl formed again and he ducked even lower than you had to and he tried to discern your tracks from those of the others. Through the skylights he seemed no longer a King but a determined meerkat with his head popping up only for him to grumble and growl at your hitting him again with another snowball.

Eventually he tackled you out of nowhere into a snow bank, a victorious chuckle vibrating through his puffed out chest from another deep inhale. Retracting with you being picked up in his arms just beaming from adrenaline and the fun of it he asked, _“Now would you like to hear what punishment you’ve bought yourself for all this?”_

Your arms drape around his neck and you grin saying, _“I doubt it would be effective to make me stray from striking again no matter what you choose. I got what I wanted. Either way you may want to wait a bit, everything you say sounds way less intimidating with that smile of yours.”_


	9. The Cabin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *You are sitting around a campfire. There are stars shining in the sky. Someone asks “If you had the power to change one person’s life, how would you do it?”*

“I am gonna burst,” You squeaked in the middle of the third landing between endless flight of steps to your eighth floor apartment making you sigh and say, “Hot pants it is.” Rushing to the heavy door you crashed through it and bit your lip gripping your bag that had split hours earlier in your bow legged trot to the seventh door on the left. A frantic knock on the yellow door was followed by equally as frantic shuffling and a loud thud mingled with a string of curses until the door flung open and the wide eyed towering blonde behind the door stared at you. “Hot pants man,”

Heavily he sighed muttering, “That was a costume, I was mint green.”

You nodded and bounced in place making him look you over curiously, “Green hot pants man, ya, I usually don’t do this, but the elevator’s out and I’m not going to make it another five flights of stairs, can I use your bathroom?”

Smirking at you awkwardly he stepped back pointing at the open door opposite the open kitchen, “Straight through there.”

You nodded and rushed over to it dropping your bag on the blanket and clothes covered couch earning a loud groan form under the now shifting blob making you trot around the couch and straight to the bathroom, “So sorry, gotta go.” The door closed and the dark haired Elf with a knotted half afro hanging into his face glared at his roommate standing by the door angered at being woken.

Thranduil moved closer to him harshly whispering as you flicked on the water to mask your fumbling disrobing mess of a self and bursting dam of a bladder you felt coming, “It’s squirtle girl, and you will not embarrass me like last time!”

“I did not embarrass-,”

His mouth was covered and a finger was pointed at him while he eyed Thranduil’s dark thick brows lifting over his momentary irritated pout, “Elrond, I swear! Last time you told her I’d been looking for a squirter my whole life! She went months without talking to me! Months! Now you will be polite and say nothing!”

Thranduil’s hand lowered and his brows twitched up at the emphasizing point making Elrond smirk and lay back down covering himself again at the flush. A few moments later you were out again when the tap turned off and flashed Thranduil a weak grin when he shot up fidgeting with the ties on the sweats around his waist subconsciously flexing in your stolen glance at his shirtless self. The grin on his face twisted realizing his hair was in a bun on top of his head and he had a face mask on to help ease his dry skin after being in heavy make up for his play role for the past few weeks. “Thank you, again,” Rounding the couch you lifted your bag and patted the ankle of the Elf under the covers, “So sorry.”

Elrond raised his arm from under the covers to give a silent wave stirring a curious grin onto your face as his arm fell down lifelessly again. Again looking up he looked you over watching your mint green highlighted white curl filled loose bun shifting in the tilt of your head to lock your silvery green eyes on his icy blue pair after his glance over your pink leotard under a grey tilted baggy t shirt long enough to be like a dress with black leg warmers in a tilt from your clear rush from your usual lunch after rehearsals for your show. “Your show’s on Thursday, right?”

You nodded, “Ya, double show,” he chuckled awkwardly as you looked over his face again, “Well I can’t wait, we got tickets,” Your brows inched up and he turned his head to the ringing phone Elrond raised his arm to pat around for the receiver he pulled under the covers.

“Hello?”

Wetting your lips you replied, “Ya, I’ve seen your show too. It’s really good. Your part too.”

“I dance with a guy in an Elk costume.” He playfully retorted making Elrond chuckle behind his hand remembering the act popping up seven times in the two hour long play.

You nodded sending your bun bobbing making him smirk at a strip of curls breaking loose across your face you blew away only for it to swing back into your face, “I doubt anybody could get that shimmy jete combo down like you,” making him mouth scrunch up and his head tilt back in a sharp inhale to hide his embarrassment.

Elrond mumbled, “No, we’re not going to the pool party.”

At that you gasped saying, “Pool party, shit!” Turning you grabbed your bag saying, “Sorry, I promised I’d go and bring one of those stupid inflatable flamingos, which I have to buy…”

Thranduil said, “Turin’s shop has some! Elrond call him,” he leapt over the couch parting your lips in his rush to his bedroom, “Meet you in the lobby in twenty!”

Elrond peeked out from under the covers and you glanced at him with brows raised and waved then pointed to the door, “Guess, I’ll be, going…” He nodded, “Again, sorry,”

He shook his head and hung up the phone to dial Turin’s number, “Not a problem.”

…

That was how it began, a masterful friendship, keyword, friendship. A lap top seat offered by your cousin and an advance from a highly flirtatious brunette. The mistake was cleared up within a month but by then there was a third date planned, so friends you remained with his hope that things might change before long. Though somehow it always seemed that you were trains just barely missing one another in the station of life. All through art school and into the beginnings of your careers your lives blended together and a solid support system was formed no matter what.

It was clear for all to see how evident the love was there and after nights out together in your hectic schedules with his acting jobs, your dancing and Elrond’s makeup and special effects careers led you both together and apart to mingle with the rest of your group. Relationships came and went, for the men at least. Elrond, Glorfindel and Elros all settled into their own relationships while Thranduil slammed hard into absolute enamor-ment with his girlfriend quickly leading them to an engagement.

From one wedding to another you claimed your seat and ignored the stares of those around you when your plus one was never claimed. You weren’t alone, you just didn’t want to bring another one of your dates the guys always hounded to their special days, group dinners once a month was enough. They weren’t bad guys, they were wonderful, from doctors to a trio of firemen you had happened across in your very safety conscious part of town you lived in across from their usual lunch spots, they just never seemed to be ready to commit, something you never pushed on because if you were honest you weren’t either. At least not with them.

*

Panic flooded Thranduil and all the way through the planning for the big day it only got worse and it wasn’t until he was ready to throw his tie he couldn’t secure that Elros grabbed him and claimed the tie from Glorfindel saying, “Don’t take it out on the tie that you proposed to the wrong woman.”

Thranduil’s lips parted in a scoff and Elrond added in fixing the buttons over his middle on the tailed jacket, “Come on now, you dated her to make Tiny jealous when you didn’t know the guy she was with was her cousin.”

Thranduil, “I love-,”

Glorfindel, “We’re not saying you don’t love Kiki, we’re saying you love Tiny more.”

Those words echoed in his mind, for twenty four years since that wedding, where his wife should have been the one cast in moonlight in a sea of glowing petals in a melodic choir slow motion agonizing sea of flashbacks replaying through the entirety of his marriage.

*

He did love her, and he was faithful to her. He was the best Husband a woman could ask for both when he was home and when things had to go long distance when his roles took him away from her. She had her freedom as did he and he encouraged her in her avant-garde art shows until she made a name for herself in that world easing her mildly hidden jealousy of his fame to a low simmer until he helped use his name to help build up the attendance on her shows.

Her jealousy though never did cease when your name came up and from a single mention to Elrond’s wife Celebrian on her thinking of saying something to Thranduil about him having to choose between you that single scoff in their early dating years made it clear who would win. Your shows were non negotiable, your group visits she tolerated that when you were in the room he would be focused on learning more about the changes in your life. It bothered her, at first, but then even she saw it, you were staying away for her, there was little physical contact to none and never pushing any visits or anything close to something that could change any future plans except for five times, and each time was offered to her, not him. Clearly you knew the rules, who had the ring and who had won his heart and after a few years of hearing how little family you had even she had begun to believe that you had thought of your group as family.

Twenty four years however was a long run, and was nothing to be scoffed at, in fact the weight of it hurt all the more as the stress of her career and time apart from Thranduil had sent her into the arms of another. It wasn’t just another fling, it was a slow burn over the years with the gallery owner who showed her art, a shoulder for her when her façade broke before a show. A decade now all she wanted was to complete their perfect life, yet a lazy ovary and a hard kept schedule for her fertility with his latest string of six month filming jobs halfway across the world between two month tiny tv spots only worsened the matters.

A positive pregnancy test however was finally achieved, though only after they had decided to sleep apart to calm down and try to return to their relationship outside of the sexual and reproductive side while they approached having a family through a surrogate and a donor egg. A family friend, Hobbit no less, had gotten the pregnant results without trying it seemed and that must have ticked a switch in Kiki’s lazy ovary, because after eight months of sleeping apart she faced the horrifying aspect of sharing that she had her perfect man and little family she always wanted.

To his credit Thranduil took it well, she had seen him angry, she had seen him furious and outside a twitch of his eyebrow he remained almost painfully calm in the whole matter. The papers were easily drawn up, they had kept separate accounts and all that was left was the house, which they both hated the neighbors in so he kept the deed to the new house they had bought and she had followed through to moving in with her new man to start planning their nursery. All together twenty four years was neatly wrapped up in the minimum two months the courts had demanded, and the dream crib she had wanted was achieved all the easier with a big bow alongside a pair of tickets for the cruise she had always wanted to go on for her and her new fiancé. The perfect husband, and the perfect ex, she wanted a baby, husband home each night and a lovely home perfectly furnished to invite friends and family over to, with her art to escape into.

*

“I’m Pregnant.” The words he had wanted to hear for so long, and yet in his mind, he had been home for eight months and had been away for five before that. Clearly it wasn’t his and with how hard it had been to try and schedule nights to conceive and he really didn’t need to hear who it was, he could tell she had leaned on him. A grin here and there when saying his name, just how she had once said his, he never pushed her away from him, after all how fair would that be when his heart had been breaking over making himself lose you. He had to honor his commitment though, and never make her pay for what she didn’t ask for.

At the table he inhaled and simply stood almost making her flinch if not for his turn away to the office nearby, from which he brought out a pad and pen. All the details were drafted out and for three hours everything was listed and each room was divided to his and hers ending with the arrival of their lawyers that had been called at the beginning of it. To their shock it was already drawn up on legal pads and all that was left was to have it officially printed and for her lawyer to drive her to her new home to share the news while he had to head to work.

She felt bad she had waited till then to do it when he needed to focus. The worry was unnecessary as though it did sting to be cheated on past that all he felt was free. A quarter of a century and he was finally free to tell you how he felt. You had been single for half a year now since a cheating ordeal of your own with a Doctor caught slipping on a different type of glove for someone other than you when you had shared your offer of help to your best friend.

The news was shared and as usual when he was down and out you came to the rescue, planning a weekend trip away for the whole group. Grinning madly he climbed in his car and started to drive eager to get there early even if it meant having to wait hours for even you to arrive in your usually over early habitual ways.

*

An offer was made, Thranduil was struggling and it sort of just exploded out of you, “Use my eggs.” Instantly you had to lay down on the floor of your kitchen leaving the tea you had been waiting for later to calm yourself through the rest of the conversation. Details were traded over the email and when this was through you swore to yourself that you had to break this tie, you had to let him go. This was getting to where you couldn’t breathe and almost on the edge of tears, and now you had said basically that he could have your dream baby and raise it with someone else.

Work had been ruthless lately and sure you had little time for dating, a great thing after your recent discovery about your ex, and yes you wanted babies too, something the hormones to donate only made worse. Sure you would be a part of the child’s life but if you were anywhere close hopped up on hormones on your worst day you couldn’t deny the thought of abducting Thranduil and your baby to run off together somewhere she could never find you. Ring or not, she had what you had burned for inside and out and your patience was wearing thin. Sometimes the strongest way to say I love you is goodbye, or at least that was what you told yourself each night.

The apartment you shared with your ex was now belonging to someone else and halfway to homeless with all packed in a moving truck to fill a storage bin countries away a phone call came from the father you hadn’t heard of since you were a teenager halted you in your tracks. Turning around almost at the border you made your way until at the airport straight to the private airstrip you found your baby half sister being helped off your father’s private jet, little red headed hazel eyed Tauriel all of four years old along with all her belongings were loaded up into your car for the drive to a five star hotel. Just like he’d dropped you when you were a child at your gran’s and never looked back, only contacting you on birthdays and holidays to send checks like his other children before you.

Giddily the three year old bounced on top of the bed while you secured plans to move in to your Gran’s pool house for a short time until you could find a place of your own. Hanging up at the arms looping around your shoulders after leaving a message to Ecthelion about his latest listings you would need to look at you turned to play with your sister and tire her down before dinner and then bed to a film of your choosing. The future you had planned changed rather drastically, but you hoped at least having her here you might be a lot less psycho possessive over the baby you had helped Thranduil conceive.

.

It only took a week for Tauriel to settle into her new life here really as she was just down the street from your friends and their children she bonded with right away in your weekly dinners, the latest of which had you almost screaming. “Divorced? Since when?! We were just at their anniversary dinner!”

Glorfindel shrugged saying, “None of us saw it either, it all went down quietly in the minimum two months, but apparently she’s found someone else,”

Elros snorted and set down his drink he had almost choked on saying, “You’re missing the biggest part,”

Elrond swatted his arm as you twirled your untouched glass of wine between your fingers above your lap, “Apparently she’s pregnant too, getting her dream family finally.”

Thunderously your heart raced and you asked trying to hold back your tears, the expression on your face making the men inch closer to you at how deeply his pain had continued to affect you. They caught the same ‘fix it’ flinch in your gaze and they realized they had to act to stop this plummeting plane crash you were strapped into. You had loved him, been faithfully there for all of them, far from clingy except when you truly needed someone and always you were all in to defend or protect when possible. The marriage was one thing, but clearly at the offer of donating an egg Thranduil should have seen it, he should have drawn the line and yet he didn’t the thought of a baby with you was too much to pass up and he didn’t realize that he wouldn’t be raising your dream baby with you but in fact hurting you by taking it away and out of your reach.

Not leaving it to chance Glorfindel said, “We should go up to the cabin this weekend. Just like in school, to start over the right way. Campfires, some drinks, burgers, smores. Go back to the good old days.”

You couldn’t argue, not when they kept on bringing up past stories and before long they had walked you back to your gran’s and gotten her to agree to watch Tauriel for the weekend for your trip. In their stroll back they had called Thranduil and shared the news himself, only fibbed a bit saying you had brought up reliving your glory days up in the cabin that was your group getaway.

.

Packed and ready you were off in your car, not as early as you had hoped after packing just a bit too much to prep for anything, especially when each time before you had been missing something each time you had gone up there leading to your laughable trio of suitcases the men would no doubt laugh at. Hours the path from the city to the country you drove tapping your fingers and humming awkwardly loud to the song on the radio trying to force yourself to be calm remembering the days by the lake and lounging in the hammock outside the cabin on lazy days no doubt bringing you face to bare pectorals with that recently divorced best friend of yours. Still to get back at him, subconsciously of course, you’d packed that same bikini from that pool party your friendship began in prepping for, tiny and neon that hugged you perfectly keeping his eyes so hungrily on you all night before whatever you did that turned him off of you.

The welcome of the long dirt road through the post card perfect town you passed seemingly readying for something brought you up to a tire track bearing dirt drive through a set of winding hills up to the two story wood cabin resting under an oddly grey sky. Shifting your gaze downwards you spotted a familiar truck mostly unloaded and the front door to the cabin open. Parked beside the truck you opened the door and huffed at the blast of cold air shockingly far from the late summer temperatures from the city surely scared off by whatever storm was coming. Unbuckled you climbed to your feet and closed the door behind you then strolled around the back of it to grab the final two bags from the back of the truck containing blankets and pillows making you smirk.

Up to the door you strolled hearing boot steps coming closer to the open door. At the base of the front steps you looked up seeing a fellow blonde bun bearing Elf, “Hey Hot Pants Man.”

Rolling his eyes that same smirking chuckle broke from him spreading an instinctual smirk from you at his retort, “Bout time Squirtle Girl.” He said grabbing a bag from you turning to look you over in your own long sleeve shirt hanging over the tops of your favorite jeans covering most of your boots, an outfit similar to him except for his flannel and leather jacket over it he hadn’t worn in years you loved to steal from him back in school.

Peering around you said, “Colder than I thought it’d be.”

He nodded and added the bag to the spare room he’d filled with his other supplies making you smirk wider as your not being the only one to over prep. “Yes, seems we’ve beaten a storm in.”

“A, hope the guys get through alright.”

Thranduil chuckled, “No doubt Glori will love flooring it through the storm like the old days. He’d race after a Balrog that one.”

You giggled widening a smile across his face, “Oh yes, just like that one tornado.”

“Yes. Exactly, Celebrian’s in labor and he’s off chasing tornados for the perfect picture.”

You shook your head, “I honestly am so concerned for his parents, how they manage to live knowing he’s out there on his own left to his whims,” making Thranduil laugh in his turn to join you out to your car.

“How’s Tauriel? Elros texted me about her. How, is that affecting things, he said you were thinking about moving.”

You nodded, “Ya,” opening your trunk making him laugh at the suitcases and bags of food you had bought along the way, “Don’t laugh, Mr I packed my whole bed with supplies.”

He shook his head, “Just, like minds. You were saying?” Taking up armfuls to carry in behind you and your supply.

“Well, I moved out, got a moving truck,” at that his heart was racing wondering if you had still wanted to move after this, “Got to the border when my dad called. Was just in time to pick her up at the airport,” you set down the bags of food in the kitchen he helped you put away, “Asshole sent her off alone on a jet. Well, gran let me rent her pool house and Ecthelion is coming up with a list of houses for me to look at.”

Turning again you went to grab your suitcases you brought inside into your usual room. Once again you had peered up at Thranduil at his awkwardly silent self ending when he blurted out, “Take a hike,” Your brow ticked up, “We, we should take a hike. If the guys are going to be late, no use in just waiting around, and we can break into the old pattern after our usual trail. They should be here by then.”

With a nod you replied, “Sure, sounds good.” Grabbing your jacket you pulled it on following him to the door he locked behind you both and led the way off to your usual path with his hands buried in his pockets.

Not long into the walk he stole another glance down at you seeing you reach out to grab a tall stalk with a tiny bundle of white flowers on the end you couldn’t quite remember the name of you spun between your fingertips. Hastily he wet his lips then said, “I got divorced.”

Glancing up at him you nodded, “I heard. You could have said something.”

He shook his head trying to ease the hint of pain in your voice, “It, it’s really hard to describe.” He sighed, “We just, it was the distance, and it all seemed so easy, and then the fertility came up, and my work pressed that harder for her stress on trying to schedule ovulation and all that. She suggested sleeping alone, for months before, to try to, date again I guess, rekindle things. Well, she did relax, and fell harder for the gallery owner, which I support, he was there for her, loves her, can give her what I couldn’t.”

He wet his lips again and blurted out looking at you, “I’m keeping the baby,” freezing in place you looked up at him, “Not, that I never would have, I always was,” he sighed and shook his head then started over, “I wanted you to know, my plans on that front haven’t changed.” With tears in your eyes he inhaled again and you nodded and took another step making him tear his hand from his pocket to grab your arm turning you, “Tiny.”

Facing him again you shook your head and sniffled wiping a stray tear from your cheek, “I’m a terrible person.”

Stepping closer his hands settled on your arms, “You’re nothing of the sort!”

“I wanted to help you. So much.” His eyes narrowed trying to hold back his own ache to cry at your tears, “You wanted a baby, and I wanted to help you. Then I did,” you sniffled again and his lips parted just barely, “Then it hit me, it’s a baby, and suddenly I had nothing to do with it, so I wanted to leave,” Your voice cracked and he moved close drawing you into his chest feeling a tear stream down his cheek finally realizing what he’d done. “I’m such a terrible-,”

“You are not terrible. Nothing of the sort!” Reaching down he curled his fingers under your chin he tilted it back, “I am so sorry. I am the one who should apologize. Just assuming that having a baby with you to raise with someone else, how hard that would be. For Bella, it’s not her egg, she’s been a surrogate before, from a family where that’s a common gift. I should have known how hard that would be for you. This is not just my baby, it’s ours, and the papers are going to say that. As soon as that test went positive I knew it would be hard to have a piece of you and trying to push you into an awkward triangle of parenting where you would be pushed aside when you were the one who gave me this baby. I never knew how hard this would be, and I am so, infinitely sorry for not sitting down to actually think it over, especially for you.”

Unable to think of what to say you nodded and kept walking on and you said, “I found a cute crib.”

Making him smirk down at you as you dried your cheeks with your sleeves. “Oh? Do tell.” For nearly an hour in the dropping of the temperature you chatted strolling closer and closer together all the way under the darkening clouds above all the way around back to the cabin again.

Outside it you looked around saying, “How are they still not here?”

Thranduil shrugged, “Maybe they left a message.” You nodded and followed him up the steps into the cabin saying, “You check the machine, I’ll start on the fire.”

Over to the fireplace he went and crouched while you made for the phone seeing a blinking light on the message machine. Finger outstretched you hit the button and Elros’ voice filled the empty cabin, _“Tiny, Thran, ya, turns out there’s a big storm headed out to the cabin and there’s one brewing here at home. Sniffles are going round through our little ones and we can’t leave our Love’s alone in this, so, you two enjoy the weekend, maybe if things pick up we might make it out tomorrow if we can beat the storm.”_

The scent of a comforting fire filled the room and you caught Thranduil’s eye with a quick grin, “So, sniffles.”

Nodding back he replied smoothing his palms together trying not to seem too anxious to be alone with you, “Supper then.”

Precooked pot roast, your favorites of his recipes, was put in the oven to warm up and already he was beaming lighting the lanterns along the walls and on the table when the sky darkened even more. Wine from dinner soon bled into whiskey and the bag of smores supplies was too much to ignore anymore. Under the flickers of stars through the spreading clouds a warm fire pit was lit and your giggle filled mess of a conversation continued on between sloppy bouts of feeding one another smores. Only delving into more giggling trips down memory lane as his playful nip at your fingers had come without just a splash more of liquid courage to take it as anything but the liquor fueled accident you assumed it to be.

Up again in a rocking fit of laughter you were seated on blankets and pillows around the campfire with flickers of stars shining in the sky both adjusting the spare blankets wrapped around you for extra warmth. Wetting his lips Thranduil beamed at you brightly as you said, “Miss Marya, and those daily questions on the board. Oh, her favorite,” Thranduil laughed again remembering the one you meant and then nipped at his lip aching to just close the distance and kiss you. **_“If you had the power to change one person’s life, how would you do it?”_** Giggling again in his chuckling downing of the last of the whiskey you passed him, looking him over with a lick of your lips in doing so. “What about you? What would you do?”

A single adorable tick of your brow and the bottle fell from his hand at his side to the blanket. Over his shoulders the blankets around him shifted in his cupping of your cheeks, warmly his lips crashed into yours molding against them in the slip of his knee knocking you onto your back. Still holding your cheeks a slip of his thumb dipped between your mouths in a moments pause for him to shift his left leg between yours with his right. And in the darkened gaze up at him and the flick of your tongue against his fingertip the hungry kiss began again with tongues searching blindly for a common rhythm in the mingling of hums. Up around his neck your hands slid keeping him from drawing back again when his hands fumbled the blankets from between you to wrap you around him under his blankets and himself for warmth. A gasping glance up at the clouds releasing a single snowflake was the least clear moment you had in the dip of his lips down the side of your neck.

.

Nestled under the covers a final crack of the dying fire your eyes flickered open in Thranduil’s waking grumble retracting his foot under the covers at the cold, still wrapped around your chest holding you tightly his lips met your neck in your reach up from his back to pull the covers back. “Feels colder.”

Lifting his head Thranduil squinted into the night then felt his eyes snap wide open at the dip of snow you were both in he looped your legs around his middle. And he brought all your snacks, shoes, clothes and blankets between the two of you in the cocoon of blankets he covered you for the trot through the snow to the front door. Giggling to yourself you stayed in his hold while he pushed the door shut with his foot and reached out to lock it, as if that could keep the cold away from you. Straight to the living room where your former snuggling pit was he set you down and coiled up in his blanket after covering you in yours to relight the fire. Again he nipped at his lip and hurried back to you pulling more of the still slightly warm comforters he’d brought to cover your snow coated blankets he tossed away along the wall and wrapped his arms around you laying at your side.

Swallowing dryly he looked you over and his hand sank from your hip over the thigh you shifted to lay on top of his leg, “Are you busy Thursday?”

With a smirk he hummed back, “I’m fairly certain we’ll still be here Thursday.”

Easing your arms around his neck you sighed back deepening his smirk in the subtle tug bringing him against you again, “What ever shall we do?”

He shrugged and playfully replied, “I’m certain we could think of something. Decorating our home for one,” kissing your cheek sweetly then moving his lips back to your neck to hum again, “planning a nursery,”

“Our home?”

Drawing back he cupped your cheek to lock eyes with you, “Oh you’re moving in with me, you and Tauri both. It’s still all boxes, nothing close to ready for our baby.”

Playfully you smirked up at him, “You really think I would just move in with you like that? I mean, I’m going to need a little something extra to convince me.”

“Oh really? How expensive is this something extra?”

You shrugged, “I might settle for you wearing those hot pants of yours to bed.” Making him roll his eyes and crash his lips into yours again wrapping your legs and arms around him in his move above you again muffling your giggles through his deep chuckle

Truly the storm did pick up, and sure enough well into the next week you were trapped, though to keep as much time to make up for lost time you were still enjoying your break when the guys arrived eager to see if you’d coupled or killed each other after the phones going down due to the now passed storm.


	10. Magnificent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let’s pretend here Rivendell isn’t finished being built yet and Elrond and his wife are living in Amon Lanc with Thranduil with all their kids growing up together.  
> …  
>  “We shall have a magnificent garden party, and you’re not invited.”

Soulmates. Each one born that upon their reaching their teen years would wake with a book linking their minds and dreams. Each book had a certain amount of rules.

_The book can never be gotten rid of, stolen or destroyed and it never fills up._

_You can draw or write in then to affect their dreams, or if you sleep at the same time you can even interact in your dreams._

_You can mentally speak, though in our world it seems more like our conscience that little voice in your head trying to point you down the right roads._

_When you meet you have to spend a year together no matter what you have no choice in the matter._

..

Years you had tried to figure out who your Mate was. One comment on liking stories and you couldn’t help but feel like he was lying to you. Prince to a kingdom you could find no trace of who spent your monthly dream meetings teaching you hand to hand combat when he first spotted the bruises your father had left on you. His concerns of why you had been sleeping in the library led to a revelation of the worst, and in the meantime to however you would meet up one day he had to ensure you would be safe and wait to find a way to you.

Eventually when the pretending got to be too much you simply started to doodle in it wondering what you had done to deserve a Mate who preferred pretending over sharing who he really was. And when he wouldn’t stop asking questions simply to know if you were ok after two months of silence the pages were filled with short stories about a Pompous Prince needing to be rescued by some female hero.

The last straw was finding out that he had gotten married. You were supposed to be the same age, and when you turned 17 your great birthday present was that your chance at happily ever after were over. From then you were distancing yourself from him, slowly growing quieter and merely listening about him gushing about his now expecting wife.

Tearfully you decided to try the impossible, for four years you did all you could to try and get rid of the book. Fire, water, even tossing it out of cars or trains it would pop back into your lap. Focusing on school wasn’t hard to do when you wanted to run away from it all. Again living in the library, literally, sleeping in a storage room in return for cleaning at night when a boyfriend took the handholding too far and decided to try and burn your apartment building down leading to your being evicted, this place only temporary you kept saying as your friend working security here each night had helped you into it.

Tonight however you spotted that ex scouting out ways to sneak in and you gathered your bags reading to leave. The last thing you had to grab was your book, peering at it tears welled up in your eyes at the Prince turned King and Father of a somehow 7 year old child after his now dead wife was pregnant not three years prior. It was just too much, shouldering your bags you shoved the book into a shelf and kept on going.

A tight grip on your shoulder was joined by one on your other shoulder, in the racing of your heart you peered over your shoulder expecting to see your ex, not the blackened ink formed hands from the now open book behind you that jerked you straight through the book and from one library to the ground of another.

From carpet lined to polished marble the floor changed and you found yourself seated on the marble peering down at your glowing book with the number 365 repeating on the flipping pages that suddenly slammed shut making you mumble, “What the fuck…”

The entrance of a quartet of armor clad brunettes froze when they saw you in the middle of the floor with bags around you, all around you they circled you and the tallest of them said in the made up language your Mate had taught you in your youth, _“Who are you and what are you doing here?!”_

_“I’m Jaqi, Pear, um, I wouldn’t happen to be in Amon Lanc, would I?”_

Brows were furrowed and another said, _“Maybe she bumped her head?”_

Another looked at you, _“Have you retained any injuries, Miss Pear?”_

_“Um, my hip sort of hurts, but I wouldn’t argue with my head being hit. Am I in Amon Lanc?”_

The silent fourth answered, _“Yes. Where were you intending on traveling to?”_

 _“My ex, showed up at my job and, well my last home when I tried to leave him he lit it on fire, so I grabbed my things and tried to run, then my book here sucked me through it, and here I am.”_ Wetting your lips you peered up asking, _“Your King wouldn’t happen to me Thranduil, would it?”_

They all looked at one another and you raised the book, _“He came with the book.”_

Bending down the group lifted your bags while the last offered his hand to help you up saying, _“We will show you to our King.”_

Once up you peered up at the seven foot Elf asking with a tilt of your head lifting his brow, _“Does that mean I have to curtsy in front of him?”_

_“If you prefer.”_

You nodded then said, _“Well, I’m still mad at him so no, no curtsy.”_ They all glanced at you then the one you had just spoken to turned to guide you to the King.

.

Atop the raised platform with a trio of thrones was a rather stern faced blonde with pointed ears sat with legs crossed listening to a tall group of colorful cloak clad men with varying shades of hair. In the approach of the guards his icy blue eyes landed on them making you sigh realizing it was just your luck he’d be as much of a pessimist as you. Coldly he said, _“None of you are on this rotation.”_

Inhaling sharply you said, _“Ya well, they found me,”_ At your voice the men between you both parted to turn and inspect the stranger in their midst. A tilt of his chin later and he took in your sloppy ponytail draped over your shoulder full of knotted curls your naturally white hair and clip in neon purple highlights matching your bright purple eyes. _“Oh don’t give me that look Mr we’re going to grow up, meet and live happily ever after, then one day just look whose grown up, become a King, gotten married and had a baby.”_

_“I beg your pardon?”_

_“Look, I’ll make it brief, I was trying to hide from my ex who showed up at my job and I got sucked through my book bringing me here. Now whether you want me here or not the book says I’m here for another 365 days,”_ you said holding the book open making him stand up open mouthed.

_“Jaqi Pear.”_

You nodded, _“Your Majesty.”_

_“You know my name.”_

_“I also know you’re a single father and find gardenias overrated.”_

Nearing you he stated, _“I told you that in confidence.”_

Smirking up at him, _“What are they going to do, take your crown for it?”_

_“They might.”_

_“Then they don’t deserve you_.” His weight shifting on his feet his eyes scanned over your face still focusing on the irritation and hurt in your tone conflicting with the playful hint of a smirk fading away. The encounter was being watched by those around you as well as the walk off to the hall you had just exited.

_“I will show you to your apartment.”_

_“I get a whole apartment?”_

_“You are my One. Deserving of no less.”_

_“You call them Ones?”_

_“Yes.”_ His eyes flinched over you and your baggy sweater and tight jeans covering nearly all of you, _“Did he hurt you?”_

_“Not this time, but I think I bruised my hip on that fall.”_

_“How much is the apartment each month?”_

He glanced at you again, _“We can find a position in our libraries since you are so accustomed to the world of books.”_

.

Three days, two meals a day together with the King and a series of Nobles and a small group of children later again you were sleepless and on your way back from the library. A sniffle in the hall leading to your apartment you spotted Prince Legolas in the garden wiping his cheek making a flower crown under the watch of a pair of guards in the entries to the garden opposite you. Moving closer you crouched asking, _“Is something wrong, Prince Legolas?”_

In the turn of his head those big tear filled eyes of the somehow 7 year old child that looked more like a three year old who timidly replied in a half blubber, _“Ada promised to read me a story, but another meeting took him away.”_

You nodded and asked, _“Do you like swans?”_

_“I have to go to bed, the pond-,”_

Shaking your head you said, _“I know a story about a swan I loved when I was your age. I can tell you a story if you like?”_

Nodding quietly he set the flowers down and climbed onto your lap to have you carry him into his nursery attached to the King’s apartment. A few chapters into the Trumpeter Swan you stopped in your apartment to pick up Legolas was tucked into his bed sound asleep while your eyes drooped and your body shifted sideways in the armchair you were seated in. A curious check of the gardens and then the nursery had the King looking on at you both longingly, wishing to himself that you might choose to stay when the year was up.

One night and it built up a pattern, a growing one as the trio of Elrond’s children soon began to join you in the library and gardens with books of their choosing to hear you read to them. Soon enough whenever Thranduil had been called away you were the go to person for playing and each time he chose something over his son a piece of your mind was given to the King who was floored each time but gradually realized that from a child of an unhappy home truly did know what it was like to feel your parent hated being with you. It would be hard but the obvious irritation you had and one particular event had the council becoming overly eager to aid the King in changing how things worked to spend more time with his son while he had the chance to.

The main Royal Gardens had been made up, complete with a tent and string lanterns with snacks, tea and a selection of books for when the snacks were through, just one thing missing. Alongside Lady Celebrian the children sat peering up at the setting sun marking just a short while to when the King was supposed to have shown up only to have been distracted again. Brushing your skirt down over your legs you kissed Legolas’ cheek saying, _“Five minutes, I’ll be back.”_

Angrily into a council meeting you strolled right up to the King’s side ignoring the stares of the Council and said, _“Two words, Garden Party.”_

Peering up at you he huffed back, _“I have to settle this dispute over a prized cow.”_

_“Seriously? Time with your son over two arrogant Lords fighting over a cow.”_

One of the Lords in question stated, _“I resent that!”_

You turned your head to look at him, _“You do realize you and your egos aren’t the only ones living in this kingdom? Right? There are thousands you should be thinking of easing the struggles for. And trust me if I was King I’d have taken your seat or your head for how much nonsense you stir up just so you can skip exerting yourself for any reason at all. Most of you are acting like children,”_

Thranduil sighed, _“Miss Pear-,”_

You shook your head, _“You know what, no. No more chances. A little boy asked his father to a garden party for a day off from his nonsensical day job and obvious arguing with these children is more important, so congratulations on your choice. Because that’s what it is, a choice to let him down when you gave your word. Enjoy your bickering. **We shall have a magnificent garden party, and you’re not invited.”**_

Turning around you strolled to the door and he called out, _“They are my gardens if I wish to go there I can! I am King!”_

Stopping in the doorway you turned to say, _“Well you’d have to get your ass out of that chair to do it first now wont you, Your Majesty!”_

The sarcastic curtsy from you had him huffing and jolting up to storm after you, _“Luo, Liu, neither of you get the cow. Viae you will take possession of it until I deliberate further.”_ Right after you he strode saying, _“If you assume for one moment this argument is over merely at leaving a room-,”_

Sharply you turned and poked him in the chest, _“No, you don’t get to be mad at me. You don’t. I’m sorry your father forced you into an arranged marriage, I’m sorry your One was born in a different world and aged slower than you, I’m sorry you’re still young and have to be King, but the one thing I will never apologize for is telling you that your son will be eight in 73 days.”_

His eyes narrowed, _“He will never be this young again. You will never get this day back and today all he wanted was for his father to show up to the party we planned, for you to relax for once before you explode into a cloud of silver and scowls. You get one chance, our book isn’t the only one counting down. He’s going to have to have an heir one day, he’s going to have to get married, how do you want him, possibly as King, should the worst happen, to treat his family? Because right here, right now he’s learning. Soaking up everything, big, small, spoken, unspoken. I get it, King, but, Big Leaf, come on! It’s a Garden Party over a cow! He is safe here, but you have to love him more than air and show it to everyone because he sees Celebrian and Elrond fawning over theirs. He’s down one parent don’t make him lose two. You can be more than enough to make him shine brighter than the moon, you just have to show up. No perfection needed, parenting is messy.”_ Turning away he stood still for a few moments then continued following you at the rise of your hand to wipe your cheek.

Stepping forward his fingers looped around your upper arm making you turn to face him, in what you expected to be the rebirth of the argument his hand cupped your cheek and behind a pillar he claimed a fiery kiss ending with a top of his forehead to yours to hum, _“It was never my intention to hurt you, and I will do everything in my power to regain your trust. Just tell me what to do.”_

 _“For starters,”_ You reached up lifting his crown parting his lips, _“No King’s allowed.”_ Removing it to set it on the table by the archway you strolled through into the garden exhaling shakily to calm yourself after his show of affection.

Peering through the opening he watched you carefully then glanced to Legolas, who’s face fell and his shoulders slumped for a moment only to rise in his large step into the garden earning a gasp from the boy who raced for him, _“Ada! You made it!”_

Chuckling lowly he kissed his son’s cheek then hummed, _“I had to deal with some nonsense over a cow.”_

Looking up Legolas, _“Ada, your crown!”_

Thranduil smirked replying, _“I was told there were no King’s Allowed_.” Making the boy grin and giggle hugging his neck, a moment he used to steal a glimpse at you in the rising moonlight feeling the first marker of your union being sealed burning into his left shoulder blade giving him hope this just might work and you just might have had what the other has needed for so long. Only ten months left to find out.


	11. Caves of the Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Unless you are ME, in MY position, don’t EVER try to tell ME how to FEEL.”  
> “I don’t run from my feelings, I get drunk and ignore them, like a normal person.”

_‘Caves of the Forgotten_

_Is Back!’_

The posters were up everywhere and the century odd long running show was back for yet another season, its hundredth, and the big kicker, you were coming back with it. Marya, the little girl, one of two children born and raised on the show. Decades until you reached your late teens you had been a part of it until you wanted to go to school. But that isn’t important, the degrees, the modeling, the movies and shows you had been a part of, to them you would always be precious perfect unpredictable Marya. Which was why this season was such a big deal. Your parents had moved on and eventually back to Valinor, though you felt you had to step back into this role after the personal hell your personal life had been lately. Just like the other stuff none of that mattered either because this was a new beginning, and with it came Korko back into your life.

Korko, played by the boy born and raised on the show Marya was destined to ebb and flow with for the rest of time. Always so adamant you hated one another, glares, faces made, tongues stuck out and yet as you grew into your teens it shifted that only Korko could ever make you angry. He was the one to throw your first bully into a locker, he was the one demanding none of the ‘hot’ guys he hung out with tried anything with you when he knew how they treated women. He was the one to set you up with your first real boyfriend, a great guy who ended up breaking your heart anyways and received a broken arm for it. He was the one in your final episodes that was racing to the airport on your gap year vacation before university to beat you there only to learn you had taken the train when the flights were grounded then flew off to a school halfway across the world leaving you both with so much left unspoken. The only thing being it hinted that your train crashed and his plane was picked up by a hurricane, a series of freak accidents taking out all the teenage cast in one full swoop.

But now, now the show would pick right back up in the Caves of the Forgotten, a series of islands connected by caves in a sort of sci-fi mystery kept for only your people to know, a ridiculous yet convincing enough explanation how the show could have tropical to winter scenes in any episode they wished regardless of the time of year. Right in the middle of the annual Parade of Swordfish, in honor of your founder’s crest, a boat washes ashore and when the ferry docks from Aquilonde the assumed lost generation are discovered and the return changes everything. It was meant to be a single season arc but honestly you didn’t care if you got pulled back into a decade long run, just as long as your Korko was there.

…

All you had to do was fly out to Lindon to sit for the convention where the show would be promoted and you would have your first press panel for it. Your characters weren’t that big on the show but your fan base was the largest as they’d seen you grow up in front of their eyes and loved you the longest. So just confirming your places on the cast had the convention booked to max. You’d kept up with everyone, maybe not in touch but had seen from afar what they had gotten up to and still you ached to see just how the always shirtless flexing teen had grown up. Clearly he had married and had a son according to his social pages yet as soon as that divorce was signed the rumors kicked right back up that it was to be with you and you were one big happy family again. Wishful thinking on their part, and yours, you were painfully and idiotically in love with him as kids and hated to leave but in the end it worked and now at least you could listen as the fans no doubt would ask if he might have possibly had a crush on you in return.

You hated flying private, if you were going to hurl yourself through the air in a tin can you needed some support, even if it came in silent company of strangers. First class was booked full, again, didn’t care cuz you preferred to be near the middle anyways. Entering your gate however a high pitched scream sent you wide eyed crashing into the chest of the talk figure to your right you had kept pace with absently since security. Even over your rock music you heard it and a joint removal of ear buds you blinked through the flashes as the red headed teen blurred out, “Marya! Korko!! I can’t believe we’re going to be flying together!!!”

At the same time in her squeeze between you your eyes met and bashful grins were eased up at her extending her camera phone as far as she could reach to snap the picture you both leaned in around her for. The crowd eventually waned in security coming to help move them along to where they were going. In a set of seats you both chatted catching up on old times until you were called to board, both chuckling at your place in the middle of the plane. An open mouthed stare from a pair of women watching as you both went to the rows around them more women realized who you were and a pair willingly offered to move so that you could sit together, all so certain that it was some computer error splitting you apart.

In your window seat you inhaled shakily and in a stolen glance at you his hand meshed with yours with fingers interlocking to help the both of you through your wariness on flying.

.

Surprisingly the flight went quickly yet by the time you had landed realizations that your hands were still locked came only when you went to grab your suitcases. A split set of cars left the crowds deciding that you had desperate carpet events explaining the split all heavily flooding the social pages. The convention went on and if they had hoped for reunions for the full cast they were disappointed. To please everyone and focus on each person for a decent amount you were set to groups that rotated around until finally you all found yourselves from the revolving doors and into the elevator heading up to your rooms to collapse onto your beds.

Only when you had walked into your assigned room your lips pursed at seeing Thranduil relaxing on the couch. At the door opening he had sat up and when he saw you his jaw dropped in seeing you look at the number on the key card sleeve and then step just out the door to look at the number making you huff.

“I must have gotten the wrong key…”

Wetting his lips hastily Thranduil stood shaking his head, “No, um,” your brows rose as the door closed behind you in your shifting the strap on your shoulder to your bag, “Well, it’s a suite. I wondered why I got bumped up. They must have seen the press or something, spare bed’s all yours.” He said pointing to the door on his left making you nod.

“Thank you.” You sighed out and turned to go put your things down with him following after you without any reason even for himself to explain it. Sitting on the foot of the bed you raised your leg and untied your boots you removed and set aside, “I can’t remember the last time one of my press events got a crowd like this.”

Lowly he chuckled watching you ease out of your jacket forcing himself not to stare at you while he missed you doing the same for him to keep things casual, “Well, we’re back, bigger than ever. Tons of drama.” You nodded and he said, “I was just about to order something, you can pick the show if you like.”

With a giggle you reached to your bag pulling out a box set of your seasons together making him laugh, “If you’re up for some cringing we can catch up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the full episodes before.”

He nodded, “I do need to brush up. I got the details I just never got how everyone said there was so much tension when we rarely had scenes together in the end.”

You giggled again, “From what I’ve heard it had something to do with those tiny glowing frogs following us around.”

Chuckling in a shake of his head from the nonsensical reason he offered you his hand to help you up for the walk to the living room. It was a week long convention and from there you would fly out to the islands where you would film for the next six months.

.

Giggling to yourself with a cardboard box of take away in your hand you were curled up beside Thranduil’s former spot as he answered his son’s call between classes at his own university asking, _“Have you asked her out yet? You’re all over the internet as a couple!”_

Thranduil rolled his eyes then looked to you smirking at your full mouthed chewing giggle at the drama building in the episode playing after you both had gotten hooked onto the show yourselves. “Not yet, but I will. You focus on class.”

“Oh!!” You cried out at a slap sounding in the room making Thranduil tilt on his feet to see what he had missed, his mother slapping yours saying sarcastically after being accused of being too emotional, **“I don’t run from my feelings, I get drunk and ignore them, like a normal person.”** Jabbing at her alcohol problem.

To which your mother shouted back, **“Unless you are ME, in MY position, don’t EVER try to tell ME how to FEEL.”**

His mother rolled her eyes and delved into the world of mistakes her friend had made affecting everyone’s lives. The dramatic moment however ending when Marya and Korko team up to take down the kids from down the block bringing Thranduil back to your side grinning wildly after Legolas had to rush off to his next class. You had time to catch up finally, with the show and each other.

A flicker on of the timed lantern lights in the room came when a call came in on the room phone saying that a bad storm was rolling in on the final day of your trip that would be leaving you both stranded in this island city when the bridge was too dangerous to cross. Prepped generators got you through the worst of it in relatively few limitations and when it had passed it was just the task of waiting for the bridge to be cleared again when the waters receded. Though neither of you really minded having to wait, as by the time you had made it to set it wasn’t just fan fiction anymore, your real life coupling. Six months on a set might be hard but after binging all you had missed of the show you were eager to see just where Marya and Korko would be heading to next.


	12. Lucky Shot Pt 5

The first snowfall of the year in losing you brought an unusual sight, the young Prince sitting glumly in your favorite garden staring up at the tiny white specks falling from the sky. Behind him warm arms, not the pair he was hoping for but still he was raised to sit up on his father’s lap to be joined in watching the snow falling around them under the maroon wrap he covered them with. _“Have I told you about the first time I met your Naneth?”_

Legolas sniffled saying, _“You don’t have to tell me. I heard you and uncle Elurin arguing about saying her name. I know it hurts you.”_

Thranduil’s eyes closed in a deep sigh making him peer down and kiss his forehead, _“I am terribly sorry you had to hear that. It does hurt, just as it hurts you Little One. We can speak of her whenever you wish. Sometimes, between your uncles and I we get angry, we argue, but it is all words. We love your Naneth, and you, and we will never forget her, we will share our tales of her whenever possible. Sharing tales of those we’ve lost, is how we keep from really losing them.”_

_“Then I would like to hear it.”_

Thranduil grinned saying with a ghost of a grin on his lips, _“Well, it all began, in the snow. I was off on a delivery from our family shop, and I heard these giggles. Then atop a horse your uncle Glorfindel rode up, and when he stopped I saw her, clad in white and silver, she was spinning, and then I saw these bright purple eyes on the most perfect face that stared right at me. She always had this bounce, hopped right up to my side and told me her name. Then she had to leave, but the next time I saw her, she bounced right up to my side with this smile on her face and proceeded to challenge me on my feelings for winter.”_ Legolas giggled in his low chuckle and ease of his arms tighter around his son snuggling into his chest.

…

You were close now, right in the middle of the dinner a cold burst of wind parted the lips of the Lords in the courtyard as it carried the scent of oncoming snow. Softly Legolas said, _“Ada,”_

With a grin Thranduil’s arm eased around Estel’s middle in his move to curl up in the wrap draped over the King’s shoulder, and he ensured the boy was fully covered from the breeze, _“It should not be long now.”_

Elrond, _“We should have a few hours at least until we should send out riders to escort the group in.”_

Glorfindel, _“Yes, and we can see just who this Ronan is.”_

The irritation was clear in the their faces and they each had their own assumptions of who this horrible race of people could be to have kept you prisoner for so long.

**

It was all agreed to continue from here on foot and with your place in the lead between Gamora and Nebula with Ronan and Korath behind you all of you continued on. Bilbo and Thorin kept hold of one another’s hands off to the side of your group leading their people while Wanda watched Pietro’s steps race ahead to check the path then loop around. Upon his return he shrugged saying there was only more trees ahead making you shake your head and glance up again at the thickening of the snow widening your grin in taking the first step to the small river in your path. Under your feet the water iced over with rocks from the bottom to create a pathway for you to cross on, alone you led the way and waited for the others at the undisturbed side of the river.

Turning around the distant sound of whipping fabric turned your head and lured you onwards. Hurrying after you Nebula led the trot with Gamora right behind her as Pietro circled the clearing you were in wondering what you were staring at with Wanda using her powers to hover her way across and land to your side. Ronan and Korath were next, both scanning the area curiously until Gandalf came up behind them, “She hears the guards on patrol. Few miles off yet, though no doubt they’ve caught her scent.”

Wanda’s eyes narrowed, “Scent?”

Gandalf nodded, “Snow, with a hint of apples. Far too fair a scent for mortals to catch, but her kin know it well.”

Thorin chuckled lowly, “By the sound of it she must be of high rank to garner a sprint like that.” Turning your head you caught his eye and he smirked, “There’s only one Lady Pear my kin have heard of, and she is married to the King who would bar our return home. Queen of the Greater Greenwood.”

Softly you said, “You knew?”

He nodded, “Aye. You have given your word to aid in restoring Moria, no doubt King Thranduil would be pleased your Kree kin might be distracted for a time to allow you to recover from your birth in peace before having to make talks with us on crossing your lands to Erebor.”

“I doubt he would argue with your traveling home.”

Thorin chuckled as Dwalin said, “Not with a Dragon waiting for us, M’Lady.”

Ronan, “I doubt your dragons could be fiercer than any other beast we have faced before.”

Balin, “Do you have portraits of these beasts you have faced?”

You smirked replying, “We have memory banks you can view later from our best battles.”

Ronan’s hand settled on your back, “For now, we should move ahead, get you settled before your next meal.”

You nodded and turned to start walking again only to feel Bilbo at your side asking, “What is it like, Rivendell? I’ve heard it is wonderful in the Spring, how is it in Winter?”

Smiling down at him you said, “I believe I am a bit biased as I love the Winter.” The tick of his curious grin wider stirred you on delving into the basic architecture of the city making him grin wider picturing it in a glistening blanket of snow.

The shifting of branches and roots from the trees ahead brought Ronan closer to your side keeping his hand in yours to ensure you were kept steady. A flash of white appeared through the trees and a weak chuckle left you and you said, _“There you are.”_

Wide blue eyes from your son came into view in his dart around a shifting tree full speed then slow to a trot seeing the oddly colored creatures, including the largest of them holding your hand. The grip on your hand from Ronan was tightened at the growing number of darker haired Elves joining your son appearing suddenly from the trees, another blonde popped up and you smirked naming him, _“Glori.”_

Trotting ahead he wet his lips feeling Legolas right beside him in your step out of the group patting Ronan’s chest saying, **_“My brother.”_** Ronan nodded and released your hand letting you step ahead to the pair looking you over taking in your appearance to gauge your health. Looking between the pair your eyes turned to the shorter of the two whose eyes you recognized spreading your grin, _“Little Leaf?”_

His smile spread across his face and he trotted ahead eyeing your belly to lower pulling you into a tight hug lifting you up onto your toes in your arms looping around his neck gripping the back of his armored shirt, gratefully he whispered, _“You’re home.”_

Chuckling weakly you replied after kissing his cheek in his pull back, _“You’re so big.”_ His eyes scoured yours deepening his grin in your cupping his cheeks, _“I knew you would be. And it should not be too long before I can give you a proper hug.”_ Making him chuckle and step back in your lowering to adjust your shirt lower to your hips in your glance to Glorfindel.

His eyes flinched from Ronan in his approach to you to step forward accepting his own tight hug mumbling, _“We have missed you.”_

Legolas said in your pull back, _“Ada was too nervous to remember how to run and chose to remain with Estel.”_ He looked to Ronan too just a few steps away then back to you.

 _“When we get there I’ll explain everything, but please trust me and trust them.”_ Turning your head you grinned at Ronan and said, “Glori, Legolas, this is Ronan.” Your hand motioned to each of them signaling their nods to the blue giant just a few inches taller than Glorfindel who looked them both over.

Ronan’s low voice made their ears twitch having a clue why you might have been fated to have met this odd blue man, “I have waited a long time to meet you both. Nin has shared so much of you in our time together and I look forward to seeing how your kin handle births compared to ours.”

Glorfindel flashed you a grin then said, “Of course, as to our pregnant Queen we should bring you into Rivendell for a warm meal.” His eyes lowered to you, “Thranduil and the twins should be fawning over every detail.”

Steadily his eyes dropped to your hand being stolen by the Kree warrior who was strolling at your side as you claimed Legolas’ hand widening his smile and bringing his focus back to you again in your asking about his trip from Greenwood.

.

By the foot the group of Elves around you grew larger and for their wish to intimidate the Kree they lost that effect on the warriors certain of their safety in your presence. One final corner was turned and a good layer of snow had coated the Elves and Kree who unlike the others did not shake it off and took no notice of the cold blanket. Into the main courtyard you joined your son and followed him to the large ballroom where Thranduil, Elured and Elurin turned looking you over as you looked them over in return. Legolas’ hand left yours to crouch and lift Estel to his hip freeing you to give your coat a flick dropping gazes to your belly exposed in doing so. Again Ronan released your hand and smoothed his fingers along your ponytail shaking the snow free from it, then reached up to remove his jacket when leaving your bags along the wall.

Around the tables him and the Kree settled into the seats leaving their belongings by yours, Wanda and Pietro joined them while the Dwarves and Bilbo remained standing. After greeting Estel you crossed the room straight to Thranduil, who swallowed dryly and eased his hands through your open jacket to stroke your shifting belly in the pressing of his forehead to yours. Melting around you he lifted you in his arms in a tight hug ending with a warm kiss on your cheek, too afraid to kiss you any other way in public in fear of being unable to stop. Pulling back his hands remained on you in his saying, “Come, sit,” His low hum made Ronan’s head tilt slightly making him watch the King closely in his crouching to help you settle into your chair. Once you were settled he stood again turning to the Kree in the table to your right he said, “Perhaps we should get the introductions out of the way.”

Ronan stood first straightening up for their moment of sizing each other up as you said, “Ronan, this is my husband, Thranduil.”

Thranduil stated at Ronan’s smirk, “Ah yes, you are the one claiming Nin as your child.”

“Duil.” You stated making Thranduil inhale and try to keep himself restrained.

Ronan spoke making the rest of the Elf Lords glance between the pair, “From stranger to another trust me in saying you are no more familiar with my culture than I am yours. In our differences we share a love for Nin. To my people she is my child and will always remain so, an honor she has earned several times over. You will have your time to adjust to the changes, just as we all will.”

Thranduil inhaled again then looked over his shoulder making Ronan introduce the rest of your group before Thranduil took Ronan’s move to sit again as his cue to turn and greet Gandalf and the Dwarves after formally accepting Bilbo’s nervous blurting out of his own name earning a low chuckle from the King. With everyone else in their seats Thranduil came back to your side sandwiching you between him and Legolas, who was watching Estel’s curious approach to Ronan who smirked at the boy.

Reaching up your finger tapping the underside of Thranduil’s jaw made him grin at you from his stare at Ronan and the boy, _“Yes, my Love?”_

 _“It is difficult to explain, but before I could remember you they were my only family. Their ways may seem crude or harsh but they are no less genuine on my safety and happiness. Give it time, you may just find them friends one day.”_ His brow inched up and you smirked at him, _“You might be surprised.”_

Rolling his eyes he chuckled to himself and lowered his hand to stroke your back in your shifting, “Is your back sore?”

You nodded, “Just cramping. She started shifting lower in our last stop.” Making his lips part, “Shouldn’t be long, day or so.”

“If you would rather rest-,”

You shook your head, “Food and a bath should help. I can rest after.”

Looking over you spotted Ronan’s leg shift out from the side of the table to set Estel on allowing him a better view of his armor he was explaining the marks and symbols on it. Standing on Ronan’s leg Estel stood tapping his helmet making Ronan reach up to remove it and make the boy giggle in his easing it on over his head. Glancing up between the staring King and Warrior you said, “See, giant softie.” You poked him in the stomach making him chuckle lowly, “Like a certain someone I know.” Thranduil looked at you lovingly then stroked your stomach again asking, “You are certain, a daughter?”

You nodded and brought out the net scanners making his brows furrow curiously until he and the other Elf Lords shifted to view the hologram of your daughter now clearly facing downwards, “See. Nice and cozy getting ready.”

Thranduil pulled the net off asking, “Does it hurt?”

You shook your head reaching out to fold them around his arm, projecting his arm, “See, it’s perfectly safe. No pain at all.” You eased it back saying, “How we keep progress on the growth. Kree are very prevalent breeders. One of our three ships is entirely their nursery.” Parting his lips, “They were almost wiped out three times by other races, enslaved each time and fought to free themselves. Ronan is descended from one of the lines that led the last rise, part of how he gained his rank, third highest of all the Kree, under the Supreme Intelligence of course.”

“Supreme Intelligence?”

“They are, sort of like their Valar.”

Thorin asked from across the table, “Why not have you on their nursery ship then?”

“The ship would have to dock to do that. They would not risk my pregnancy in the teleporter and they would not risk the ship by docking in unfamiliar territory.”

Bilbo smirked saying, “Either way I still say Hobbits are the best breeders present in this Company.” Making you smirk at his saying to Thorin, “Too bad someone is sticking to traditional guidelines instead of following his word in keeping a certain set of brothers as his heirs.” Thorin growled around his fork making Bilbo say, “Hey, what would I know, I’m only expected to be a Consort until a breeder comes along!”

“If you are in need of a surrogate we can help you there.” The pair looked at you.

Thorin, “Excuse me? Help us how?”

Bilbo, “Surrogate?”

You nodded, “Kree have found another race in our travels, one of my accomplishments. They are the Symbiotes. Males take over other creatures turning them to monsters feeding off their hosts until they eventually die.” Their brows ticked up wondering what you were getting at, “However, the females, when given the blood of one male of another race can morph into a female copy of that male, and then they proceed to seduce another male to conceive. As long as they are carrying or nursing they are quite docile.”

Thorin, “The Kree trust these creatures with birthing their young?”

Lowering your glass from a sip you said, “Perhaps I should have started with this, Symbiotes, you can poison them, drown them, light them on fire, drop them off a building, hurl them hundreds of yards and their young are never injured.” Parting their lips, “Now those abilities are not carried on after birth as the child is comprised of the genes of donors, the Symbiote is merely the carrier and with Kree being attacked so often for traveling on ships they are perfect protectors for our young.”

Thranduil, “Have any of your adopted family taken surrogates?”

Ronan, “I have, Nin has chosen my donor mother and chosen to have a baby brother.”

Thorin, “You chose?”

You nodded, “It is tradition. Ronan has yet to take a wife and a great deal of Kree females would have loved the honor of donating an egg for his child. One of the greatest lines were chosen and cherished the honor.”

Bilbo, “How did you choose for a brother?”

“Oh, that’s the simple part. Mothers carry genes to birth females, only males carry genes to birth sons. I can show you if you wish for a surrogate.”

Thranduil, “When is your brother due?”

“7 months.”

.

When the plates were cleared you were helped up and you all split to head to the bathhouses, though you were led away off to your assigned apartment where Thranduil helped you undress, a task he used to see if you had any scars, and each one he found he traced asking for each tale behind them. The five you had across your back were small, and all from those chains that had taken you away. The only one troubling him was from a Chitauri who stabbed you in the thigh when you had first begun to train.

In the water behind you he helped you wash your hair asking, “How did it begin then? Him choosing you?”

“I woke up in a mirrored cell.”

“Mirrored?”

You nodded, “More barriers than walls but all I could see was reflections of myself. Days they tested my speed and strength, they never let anyone in. They scanned me, and when our daughter was just gone they closed up the ship didn’t let anyone on or off afraid what it was. Then Ronan came with the other ships of Warriors to watch another of my tests, and I can’t say what it was but I could hear him and I followed him. He kept trying to get them to let him in since I had an interest in him. The next day they brought a boy in, Yondu, I tapped his forehead and learned his language and through that Ronan could talk to me. From there-,”

Thranduil, “That is when you were asked to breed?”

“They assumed I had chosen Ronan as my mate. I just felt drawn to him. Now I can see why, you too possibly, you sound similar.”

“His voice, made you feel safe, and he abused that.”

“They wanted me put down, he risked his life to defy the Supreme Intelligence and adopt me.” Thranduil’s lip parted when you turned on his lap to see his face, “Defiance is death. And honestly, if they hadn’t been so curious to see what else I could do they would have killed me anyways. For centuries he was my only friend, the only one who protected me and taught me to be safe, even though our kin are damn near indestructible compared to theirs. Plus there was always time for me to change my mind for their hopes of seeing what a child of mine could do.”

“What did he get out of this bond?”

“It’s, a sort of, Kree have various stages of development, they hit heats, where they have urges to breed or claim a child and when that is achieved, even outside of a heat it triggers a burst of strength development. Their race are stronger when they have a child to return to. It is a hard choice, to adopt the right heir. He never hurt me, he has lost his family to to wars, which is why he is so excited to see out little girl.”

“Kiore.”

“Hmm?”

“The name we chose, before, unless you have chosen another.”

You shook your head easing your arms around his neck making him melt around you pressing his forehead to yours, “Kiore is perfect.” A gentle kiss grew to another and his murmured offer against your neck to aid in quickening your labor along had him helping you straddle his lap guiding you to a string of climaxes until you were feeling your body calming into a near slumbering mood as things south began to charge ahead. Dried and dressed you were lounged out on the bed and Thranduil was busy rubbing your back in your first contraction signaling the Lords to burst into full swing to ready for your birth.

Shirtless and face paint free Ronan entered the room and came to sit on the floor by your side taking your hand to share the traditional stories Kree passed on in this moment he had readied. Each breath drew you closer and soon enough you were helped to the end of the bed onto a stool Nebula brought in, a handful of pushes later and Ronan beamed looking over the shoulder of the Midwife carrying Kiore to be bathed. The after bath impressed the Kree in your now fully healed state and in true Kree tradition Ronan was the third allowed to hold Kiore, first you, then Thranduil and then him. He kept it brief allowing Legolas and Glorfindel their turns, until your lifting her into your arms saying, “Come on Kiore, let’s go see the snow.”

Chuckles echoed through the room and Thranduil grabbed his wrap he draped around you both escorting you out with Legolas holding Estel in his arms. Labor had lasted all through the night and on the cusp of sunrise you caught the golden waves of light sparking up the glitter on the snow Wanda and Pietro in their own glimpse out saw the trees through the still falling snow shaking their branches revealing brightly colored blossoms. Tiny pops of color shooting up in the blankets of white gradually falling slower showing signs that exposions of color were soon to come.


	13. Mermaid

It really was an accident, if you take a branch to the face in a try for bringing down an orc that missed and whacked the King in the face sending him into the frozen lake below form the back of his orc. You were exhausted and had been on the run for weeks after escaping from Mordor, gasping loudly you jumped down from your branch and rushed to the river and leapt through the surface of the river. Swimming as hard as you could you caught up to the King. Although it wasn’t hard when his cape was stuck on the branches below the frigid water, rising to the surface you inhaled sharply and then dove again.

A cup of the cheeks of the unconscious Elf had his lips parting and bubbles escaping, planting you lips on his a hard breath filled his lungs and you closed his mouth again to rise back up for another breath to dive and plant your feet on the rocky ground to grip his cape and give it a hard tug. Freed from his snag his body draped over your back in the swim to the surface where you held his head up and swam to the edge dragging him closer to his Elk. A reach under his chest plate helped to make him cough up any water, a roll of his eyes left his moment of consciousness fleeting. Shuddering in the cold slap of a breeze passing you by you lifted him onto the antlers of his Elk, who refused to leave without you as well. Rolling your eyes you found your bag again and climbed up on his back and let him lead the charge off to the Palace with the screeching orcs in the distance growing closer by the minute.

Curious Elves from above on patrols eyed you and their unconscious bleeding King before their arrows rained down on the orcs behind you. Up to the opening gates you coughed as your body tried to warm itself again, though in the warm gust of air inside your eyes rolled back and your body slumped rather ungraciously to the floor while the Elk continued on coming to a skidding stop glancing back at you with a worried bellow.

Concerned a servant from behind you dropped their basket of sheets to rush over to you rolling you onto your back to find where the bloody pool had come from to press a cloth to in their race to get you to the healers behind their King. Hours you had been washed, your wounds cleaned up and bandaged with new warm clothes covering you, still with how frail you looked they didn’t expect you to survive if you didn’t warm up. A herd of wolves hearing the panic hurried at the request of healers to lay around you warming you under thick pelts between liquids as your cough worsened.

*

Slits of light through his curtains was the first thing the King saw, jolting upright in his bed a loud groan left him in cupping his stinging ribs with his hand and his head where a thick layer of bandages were wrapped around half his face. Panting through the pain he inspected the room only to see Legolas enter saying, _“No! No! You lay back down! I have your soup your ribs need another day at least before you can walk anywhere.”_

Laying back against his pillows he said, _“Where is Turo? I was out riding, then, this branch just came out of nowhere…”_

Legolas sat beside him setting the tray on his lap, _“Turo is safe in the pastures, as to how you ended up unconscious we aren’t certain. However the woman you were with-,”_

Thranduil shook his head, _“What woman?”_

Legolas looked him over, _“The woman who brought you back. She fell off Turo inside the gates. Still fighting a fever, looks practically starved, you were both soaked, we thought you might have found her in the river and Turo brought you both back.”_

Thranduil, _“Has she said anything?”_

Legolas shook his head, _“She’s been mostly unconscious for a week now, same as you. Now eat and tomorrow you can check on her yourself, it might knock something loose.”_

.

He did make it through to the next day and was glad to see that under the massive glob of bandages around his head was just a shallow set of scrapes they wanted to keep his hair free from now healed leaving an olive colored bruise and straight to your bedside he went. A halfway delirious grumble came from you at the Elleth who had been feeding you another helping of broth barely doing anything to fill your belly. Softly she replied, _“You can’t eat solids, only liquids until Thursday.”_ Another grumble was her answer in her rise, in turning around her lips parted in a soft gasp seeing the robe clad King and Prince behind her making her drop into a quick curtsy then step aside.

Crouched down beside you he eyed your red nose from their constant wiping of its dripping away and his hand outstretched to feel your forehead making you grumble again. Softly he asked feeling you coming off the edge of a bad fever, _“How are you feeling?”_

The ungraceful flop of your head to the side brought a familiar glint of purple eyes under your silvery curls parting his lips in seeing the face of the mermaid in his dream, _“You, Elk man,”_ his brow inched up, _“I thought you were an orc.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“The branch, I pulled it, and your face caught it,”_ His lips parted at the slur in your words signaling you were going to pass out again, _“Then, splash, and that cape,”_ you sighed dreamily, _“And your Elk wouldn’t let me go…He has to let me go…they’ll find me…”_

_“Who is hunting you?”_

_“The Half-Man.”_

Lowly Legolas repeated, _“Half-Man?”_

Again you repeated, _“They’ll find me…They always find me…”_

Off you dropped into sleep and the King turned to the Healers asking, _“Was she found with anything?”_

They nodded pointing to the bags behind him on the table along the wall he opened the first of, clothes, toiletries bag, a spare pair of boots, belts and a blanket worn pitifully thin were on a set of journals in an old form of Elvish he couldn’t place marked with symbols from Teleri and Vanyar lands. The second bag held a series of weapons with runes marking them as a set above a set of wrapped mithril armor around a set of pouches. Inside the pouches various oddly shimmering stones in one he secured and set aside. The second he opened revealing an odd collection of rings from all the fallen Elf Kings of the past and Nauglamir in a separate pouch. Lowly he asked, _“How could she have these?”_

A call from the doorway had him turning around to the messenger who approached him with note extended, glancing down at the note he broke the seal on it mumbling at the crest, _“What could Gondor need?”_ Wetting his lips he read the letter saying, _“Mordor has fallen into a crater…orcs fleeing, mind your borders…no sign of the ones responsible, Elven prisoners of Mordor spotted fleeing…”_ He looked to you again as it shared the names of those they had found they would send to Rivendell as well for any relatives, _“What were you doing in Mordor_?” He asked more to himself than to you wondering the answer. Whatever it was he would have to wait, and hope that this Half-Man would not ever arrive to grant you rest to heal and recover.

Again he looked to the bag and drew out a series of letters he brought out returning the ring pouch to its bag, each letter addressed to the same ‘Lady Pear’ with each one sent from the Kings whose rings you had possession of with indents of the rings folded inside. Curiously his brows furrowed until he found another letter with diagrams of an old fortress outside Moria where each ring would fit, keeping hold of the letters he went off to his library with his son trailing after him. The images looked so familiar and he knew the one place that might have the answers was an old chest his father had told him only to open under the direst of circumstances. He supposed this was reason enough, and he hoped that it would hold all the answers he would need to protect you and his people from who might just be chasing you.


	14. Save the Date

“I was gone for five minutes, and you’ve already knocked someone out, and you didn’t even try to stop them! Are either of you going to explain yourselves?!?!!” You and your twin sister glanced between one another and you shook your head.

On your right she said, “…..To be fair, they were a genuinely shitty person.”

Mumbling to yourself in wiping the Man’s blood from your knuckles off on a tissue from your purse you said, “Incredibly shitty.”

“No excuses! You’re fired! The pair of you, out, NOW!!”

Strolling past your former boss you said, “Not a problem. Enjoy the Coral Festival.”

The smirk on your face making their grimace drop in realizing the multimillion dollar event taking place each year was looming. And now the two planners in this lush company drawing the biggest and best names would now be left to the hands of the next to useless sons of the Man lying unconscious across the floor of the glass enclosed meeting room.

Your shared office held little you needed to take with you and fit well into your purses you crossed your hands over in the ride down the elevator.

Glancing at your sister in her grin at you she said, “I guess this means we’ll have more time to plan my wedding!”

Giggling to yourself you nodded and leaned back against the wall feeling the dull ache growing in your feet from the new platform strapped heels showing off your new pedicure your sister took you to in hopes of settling the final look for her beach side affair. “So it does, Trix.”

When the doors opened again she smirked saying, “Well, I’m off, Glori should be home soon and I want to surprise him.”

You giggled again starting the stroll out of the building, perfectly unaware as you followed the growl of your stomach sending you to a nearby diner that the Elf waiting in the hall outside the meeting room having witnessed the whole event had been chasing you down in the next elevator over.

Two blocks later and you eyed the crowded diner knowing it would clear soon when the lunch rush died down. The only empty seat in a string of single seating grey tables with wooden booth seats opposite wooden polished red seats to the right of a burly Dwarf with scowl fixed onto his face. Under brunette hair hanging loose around his shoulders his bright blue eyes shone and by the flexing of his arms in your sideways slide past his mini table you got the feeling he preferred your seat to remain empty. In the seat you sat resting your bag on your lap grinning at the Elven waitress approaching you, _“What can I get you_?” She asked in Hobbitish at your ears and height, being half right in her guess.

_“Mango sweet tea please and the meatloaf special with all the trimmings.”_

She nodded and turned, _“Have that right out for you.”_

Curiously you peered up feeling the dreamboat of a Dwarf drawing the eye of countless others to him staring right at you when your hand dipped into your purse. “I’m gay.” He flatly stated, as if he would scare you off any plot you might have been working out in your mind.

You nodded thanking the waitress returning with your drink and tore open the straw cover easing the tube into your glass catching the man’s eye again in saying, “Demi.” Your eyes lowered and his brows furrowed in your reach to pull out a rather thick collective binding of novels by a famous author you had been trying to find time to get through.

“That wasn’t my name.”

You nodded saying in finding your bookmark, “Not mine either, but I’ve brought a book you see, so your penis is safe from me. Hands right where you can see them.” Your cocky smirk made him smirk playfully in return in your gaze dropping to the page before you again while a woman looking almost the twin of the man sat across from him lifting your gaze again in her smirking question of, “Frerin, are you going to introduce me?”

Flashing her a wide grin you said, “He’s gay and I’m Demi.”

You looked down again and she scoffed at her brother, saying in Khudzul, **“Rin, you didn’t!”**

Smirking at her he replied **, “She caught me off guard.”** Making her brow inch up.

A muffled chime from your phone had you sigh and bring it out as one of your crossed feet rocked on the toe in a try to ease the ache in your sore feet. Upon answering a shout sounded through the line and you promptly hung up and looked to the book again. Four more calls came, each with scathing messages you listened to just long enough to hear your boss was still screaming drawing their eyes to the clear tear in your blouse and the bruise forming on your knuckles making them assume the worst.

The woman wet her lips and asked, “Are you hurt? Your hand is bruising and your blouse is torn.”

You glanced down remembering the button that used to be on the now dangling corner to the pocket over your breast then back up to her, “Ya, all good. Just had to deal with a particularly charming asshole this morning.”

Frerin, “Did you want us to call the police?”

You shook your head, “No, my sister posted the video his backers should drop him by morning.”

Inhaling sharply a blonde body dropped into the seat opposite you and before the pair could say anything you said, “Careful, he’s gay.”

Breathily he chuckled and replied, “I am aware, practically family,” nodding his head at the pair, “Dis, Frerin,” he looked to you again, “Miss Pear. I understand you happen to be in need of employment.”

“That got around fast…”

Again he let out a weak chuckle, “Well, I was in the hall when Tarn grabbed you.”

Frerin growled, “Tarn did this?!”

The blonde nodded then looked to you again as Frerin pulled out his phone starting to text someone while Dis did the same on hers. “Miss Pear, my name is Thranduil Greenleaf, and I would like to offer you and your sister full positions at my families company. I’ve tried getting around your receptionist before but without luck, Lyon is a shit employer and an even worse person, no doubt paying you half what you’re worth.”

You sighed putting your book away at the arrival of your food and his giving his own order before you asked, “What event are you planning that you need us for?”

“Well there is two.” You nodded and he began again as you lifted your fork to sample your veggies. “I’ll start with the larger of the two.” A full scale wedding anniversary for the two biggest Elven clothing designers in Middle Earth he went into a detailed list of all they wanted showing just how perfect you were for it with your connections. In the few minutes you had been speaking the glimmer in his icy blue eyes grew in his relaxing at your string of questions and comments that you had given making him ask, “Is this your acceptance then?”

With a smirk you answered, “Always worth a shot.” In relief he let out a weak chuckle then thanked the waitress bringing his meal in your next bite of food. “The second event?”

Lowering his glass from a sip he replied, “Mmm. Yes, well that one is on a far more intimate occasion.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. This one has an especially exclusive guest list.”

“What sort of occasion is it for?”

Lifting his fork he answered with a ghost of a smirk making Frerin and Dis looking you both over curiously. “A first date.”

Your brows furrowed curiously at him in your asking with an amused smirk trying not to laugh, “Your Company handles first dates?”

“This would be the first. Though it’s not entirely part of the company, exactly.”

“I’m confused, you’re planning a first date, with an exclusive guest list, but it isn’t part of the company? Why hire me then?”

“I’m not hiring you for it, but asking you to attend.”

A tick of your brow had you tapping your fork into another bite asking, “Are you asking me out?”

“Depends, are you saying yes?”

“Won’t you be my boss?”

He shook his head, “Nope, Ada owns the company. I work in the background on the legal end with paperwork keeping things running, completely different section of the company.”

“Hmm. What did you have in mind?”

Frerin couldn’t help but smirk at the hint of a blush on his friend’s ears poking out through his loose hair dropped halfway off his shoulders over his chest. “A classic, dinner, movie. Nothing too spectacular to keep it simple to start with.”

“All right. Can’t go Thursday, have to pick out a wedding dress.” His brow inched up, “Oh, and you should know my sister is wanting to get married in five months, she’ll be wanting nearly a month off. I’ll need two weeks myself.”

He nodded and smirked, “I can work with that.” Lifting your fork for a bite you smirked at his saying, “I’m free tonight if you are?”


	15. Save the Date Pt 2

_“Please get me out of here.”_ The words read across his phone screen from the text message Thranduil got that had been sent from his mother.

 _“Why? What’s wrong?”_ He replied.

_“If I have to stay around these people for one more minute, I’m going to rip someone’s throat out…. with my teeth.”_

_“On my way.”_ Rolling his eyes Thranduil left a set of bills on the table saying, “It’s on me. How would you like a tour of your new office?”

Playfully you sighed out in response, “If you insist.” Standing up with purse in hand feeling your skirt settling over your thighs again in his quick pop up.

He glanced at the pair beside you and said, “See you Sunday.”

Dis grinned at you both, “Of course, see you soon, Miss Pear.”

You nodded and gave them a quick wave turning to join Thranduil to the door feeling his quick glance over you taking in each detail of your formerly stunning outfit now set apart from the others sold like it in the unique half secured pocket over your right breast. He had seen the publicity photos of you and your sister, always sleek and professional with a sassy style full of color always accentuating the curves you weren’t afraid of showing off. And he could already picture the look on your face, when you had reached that point, of his being able to purchase you lavish gifts when the relationship progressed, the dresses he had absently found himself browsing through to try and gauge how expensive your taste was. Surprisingly all from another sister’s clothing line ridiculously affordable for how extravagant some of the looks got depending on the occasion.

Glancing up at him he flashed you a grin saying, “If you wish I can replace your top.”

You shook your head saying, “No, it’s alright.” Glancing over to your right you said, “I’m in the blue one if you have a moment? I can change my top.”

“Absolutely.” Two more stoops and you turned to hop up the steps to the front door where with your keys drawn you opened the front door. In the open doorway he said, “I’ll be here.”

Smirking up at him you replied, “If you prefer, three minutes.”

Stealing a glance inside at your leaving the door cracked he watched you head to the end of the hall to turn right unbuttoning your blouse. Easily you tugged the base of it out from under your belted skirt you loosened, pulling it off to toss onto the floor of your closet and you grabbed your ruffled sleeveless polka dotted blouse you swapped it with. Tucking it into your belt you made sure it was smooth around your hips and you turned flicking your ponytail over your back and grabbed your purse again to head back to the door. Still outside you found him and grinned stepping outside, “Sorry,”

He shook his head, “Least I could do.” When your door was locked again he wet his lips watching you bounce back down the steps to follow him through the streets just a few blocks the opposite direction from your old building shining all the brighter. The lowest floor filled with indoor gardens and the Elves in the counters between sections dividing elevators to certain wings all stole glances at you both on your way to the one in the back. Straight to the 10th floor button his finger went and he hummed, “After showing you the office my Naneth wished to speak to me if you wouldn’t mind my pause in the tour.”

You shook your head, “If you need to speak with her first I can wait.”

Shaking his head he led you out of the elevator, “No at all. I will show you to your office first, no telling what those sponsors are up to.”

“Sponsors?”

Flashing you a quick grin he replied, “Oh, for an annual charity ball. Masked this year. Their usual demands lists have grown again.”

A bare thirty by twenty room wrapped in glass had you turning to look at him again asking at his grin looking you over, “This is our office?”

“Do you not like it?”

You scoffed at him, “It’s three times our old office!”

He nodded, “I noticed. Either way you will be needing space to entertain your clients, a small lounge area opposite your desks and sketch tables and all else you require.”

“When were we supposed to do the paperwork?”

“Tomorrow should be fine if you could come in again.”

“Sure,” wetting your lips in a glance out the window his eyes sank over you again taking in the sight of you in the sunlit room casting a golden glow around you. “Did you want me to leave?”

“No, not at all. This should not take long, and we can go to the film after.” His hand extended motioning you to the door you led the way through, “Just to the other end of the floor.”

You nodded and walked through the floor of passing people all grinning and sharing hushed conversations in seeing you being escorted to the boss’ office. Inside you saw a group of people across from a woman with her honey colored hair pulled up and containing a pencil to keep the bun aloft. One of her brows was ticked up until Thranduil stepped through the doorway that you remained on the other side of, a few minutes of his speaking with those in the chairs and laughs filled the room in their rise to stand, each shaking his and his mother’s hands on their way out. All of them passed you with inspecting glances over you from head to toe stirring approving grins onto their faces.

Looking up again you caught Thranduil’s head tilting welcoming you inside. Grinning again you entered and crossed the room, “Miss Pear, it is lovely to meet you, I am so pleased my son was able to convince you away from Lyon.”

Weakly you chuckled saying, “Well, with his friends it left little to admire about working with him.” You said accepting her handshake, in which she tilted your hand inspecting your bruised knuckles. “Had a lovely chat with one this morning.” Making her chuckle at your playful tone about it in releasing your hand, looking to Thranduil she said, “I see the tour has begun, any plans for the next portion of it?”

Thranduil, not noticing the opening door behind him with an older Elf you guessed to be his father with a young boy at his side, said, “We were actually off to a movie after this.”

The boy wide eyed rushed over saying excitedly, “We’re going to see Grolick?!”

Glancing down at the hands on his leg his lips parted, “Um,”

The boy bounced on his feet saying with a grip on his pant leg, “Come on Ada! Let’s go! We have to get the best seats!”

Thranduil peered up at you unable to help but grin in your playful smile repeating softly, “Come on Ada.”

His father moved to his wife’s side as Thranduil crouched saying, “Alright,” lifting the boy up to his hip saying, “Legolas, this is Miss Pear.”

“Hello,” glancing between you two he asked, “Is she coming too?”

Thranduil’s lips parted and you answered for him, “Not if you don’t want me too.”

Legolas sighed and said, “Fine, but I get to pick the seats!”

Smiling at him you replied, “Of course. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Apologetically Thranduil looked you over and got a shake of your head in response and he led the way down to his car. In the back seat Legolas kept looking between you and his father wondering what was going on simply biding his time until he got to see the film on his favorite show of a detective cat and his gang of friends. Parked outside the theater Thranduil let the boy out and propped him on his hip again and stole another glance your way ensuring you weren’t uncomfortable. Straight to the line you followed and peered up at Legolas with a grin saying, “I don’t know about you but I’m excited to see if Garthmong has his blue costume in this one.”

The boy’s eyes landed on you sharply, “Garthmong doesn’t have a blue costume.” His arms crossing over your chest making you shift your weight and lift a brow at him in a playful challenge making Thranduil look you both over.

“I beg your pardon, but episode 27 in season four when they go to rescue Lady Tillie and he has to hide in that hall of amazement he shifts his brown suit to blue to blend in, and it pops u in the next season four times too. Mainly the one with the Orca colony.”

“You watched all five seasons?” He asked slightly stunned.

After a quick glance at Thranduil you answered, “I have 11 siblings and 27 nieces and nephews, of course I have seen all five seasons, and the three films and six holiday specials they’ve had for it. Trust me, I am just as excited to see this as you are, especially since,” you leaned in making the boy and his father smirk in acting like you were sharing a secret. “Kuo is supposed to be coming back to make things right with Luma. Personally, I hope she punches him.” Making the pair chuckle.

Tickets were bought, you and Legolas chatted away and in the concession lines an extra box of candy and a wink from you to the blonde Elf behind the counter who snuck it in your pile had Thranduil glancing between you until he noticed the pear decorated fake gauge in the middle of his left ear matching yours he took marking you as relatives. Right to the first row on the raised section behind the bars right behind the handicapped section was where Legolas led you and chose to sit on his father’s lap instead of you having to sit a few feet away from his favorite pair of seats with mini aisles around them. Through the film Legolas swung his feet happily snacking on the popcorn while the tapping fingers on Thranduil’s hand on the armrest between you had you claiming his hand to rest in yours on your lap. The interlocked fingers revealing his steadying pulse the longer he got to keep hold of yours while you snacked and stole the chance to feed him a few of your extra candies.

.

The theater led to the restaurant Legolas had chosen where you animatedly talked with the boy and his father all through the meal and ride back to your place. Parked outside Thranduil wet his lips still silent distracted by the pounding of his heart and spinning brain as for how to try for a kiss goodnight after the over all enjoyable introduction between you and his son he would have tried to put off until he was certain you were interested in deepening the relationship with him. A cry snapped his mental trip, “I gotta pee!”

Giggling to yourself you glanced back at the boy saying, “Come on up then.”

Climbing out you shouldered your bag then watched Thranduil get out to let his son out and guide him up behind you to your front door. Opening it you let them through pointing at the second door on the right, “Straight through there.” Legolas hurried through the door and you turned to look at Thranduil who was already looking at you anxiously. “I had fun.”

“Please know, I didn’t plan on our date being taken over-,” The sound of the stool being pushed closer to the toilet echoed through the cracked door.

You shook your head, “No, it’s fine. My nephews are younger than him and I can barely get through the films quietly to understand what goes on.”

Inching closer to you he hummed, “So, does this mean I get a second date?”

“Depends, do I get to supply the surprise guest next time?”

Inching closer he hummed, “Absolutely.”

A tug on his tie he didn’t realize you had grabbed landed his lips on yours. The gentle kiss melting into something more in a tilt of his head and part of his lips to fold around yours as he cupped your cheek. The flush was missed and it was the creak of the door revealing the curious boy peeking through it to you both split apart and looked to the door with spreading grins. Legolas stepped out licking his lips anxiously and at your side asked with a rock of his foot, “Are we going to dinner again?”

Crouching down at his clearly asking you he licked his lips again sheepishly looking you over, you answered, “Only if you want to.”

He nodded making Thranduil’s grin inch wider, “Next time we can get pizza and see the dinosaur movie.”

You nodded and said, “Alright, and I have an offer of my own.” He nodded again, “Two weeks is my nephew’s birthday and we’re all going to Rimbo World,” his mouth fell open, “And you see, I’ve got three tickets, so I was wondering if you’d help me out, take two off my hands and come with me?”

Sharply he gasped and his eyes shot up to his father, “Can we, Ada?!” Playfully you smirked mouthing the question to him and he chuckled.

“How could we refuse the offer?”

Your gaze dropped again in Legolas’ body crashing into your chest making you giggle and hug him back in his fevered thanks, “You are the one doing me the favor.”

When he pulled back he rushed to his father’s side and you stood again when he was lifted up. Locking his eyes on yours again he hummed, “I will see you tomorrow.”

You nodded in his back step to the door, “Yes you will.” Following him to the doorway he opened you replied to Legolas’ goodnight and caught Thranduil’s smirk your way before he trotted down the steps to his car again in closing the door. Nipping at your lip you giggled in his drive away remembering his blunder in locking the door and turning to your bedroom. Leaving your purse on the bed you sat to remove your shoes and gave Trix a call. It went straight to her voicemail but you left a simple message all the same, “Hey Trix, enjoy your night with Glori, just wanted to say we’ve been offered a job at The Greater Greenwood Event Planners. Huge office, pay raise, I’ll text you the address to meet me at tomorrow morning. Oh, and I had a date. Love You.”

Hanging up you sighed and dropped your second heel and laid back across your bed mumbling, “Did not expect a date today.” The ring of your phone had you smirking in a roll onto your side in answering your sister’s call for a full recap of all she missed.

.

An early doorbell tore you from your morning bagel you left on the plate on the table, a check of your teeth in the mirror along the way later and you opened the door seeing Thranduil with a flinch of a grin saying as he extended a handful of daisies. “I forgot to ask for your number. But, I thought, a stop for coffee on the way to work, I might convince you?”

Accepting the flowers your fingers brushed along his and when your eyes met he inched closer again aching to kiss you again. Blindly feeling the top of your fingers on his tie again he closed the distance cupping your cheek in another kiss, through which he bumped the door shut behind him with his heel. Drawing you closer to him in the easing of your hands up over his shoulders. A few moments was all you had, then the frantic ringing of the doorbell followed by knocks had you splitting up so you could answer the door. Your mirror image was on the other side of the door and fell silent in a pleased smirk glancing between the daisies in your hand and the Elf nipping at his lip behind your back. “Hey Trix, this is Thranduil Greenleaf, son of our new bosses.”


	16. Halfway

**_Once upon a time not so long ago_ **

Mirrors. Useless to some. Mainly a way to check for food in your teeth or something ridiculous smeared across your face though for each full moon it became something all together different for you. A doorway. Well, several doorways. One after another in this Manor on the hill. Alone with none but servants and nannies while your father was away, at least until she came. They were merely glimpses into a different life, a life you were too afraid to enter until she decided to move in bringing her two brat sons with her. They wanted it all and her boys were what your father was craving to bond with leaving you to her whims, or malice depending on how much she’d drank. Up you went into the Silver Room. Up where your freedom was, for days she would lock you there and a timid press to the glass of the mirror had your life melding with a certain blonde’s.

**_Tommy used to work on the docks, union's been on strike_ **

**_He's down on his luck, it's tough, so tough_ **

**_Gina works the diner all day working for her man_ **

**_She brings home her pay, for love, for love_ **

From childhood to adulthood you watched him grow and marry and become a father in the looming set of losses coming his way. From a cottage to a palace the mirror was carried and treasured by all who knew its purpose and link to you. Tonight was no different, clad in a merlot colored fake fur ruffled monstrosity of a dress with a wrap to match you were paraded out behind the boys in maroon suites matching your father’s while she wore a slimming silk number in a similar shade to yours. Tonight was the big night, the one they had been pressing on you, the night to make something of yourself and this family in the growing onset of debt leading you to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

**_She says, we've got to hold on to what we've got_ **

**_It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not_ **

**_We've got each other and that's a lot for love_ **

**_We'll give it a shot_ **

Masked or not they made certain you would stick out, so out you went. A faked excuse to get a drink freed you to slip a few steps from the main garden ballroom past a light garland wrapped tree towards the glass gazebo where you smirked seeing the mirror snuck inside between flowered vines. A hop inside and you slunk out of sight and pressed back against those vines closing your eyes in the final moments of the moon rising into the sky. The cold mirror against your fingers fading to chilled night air making you smirk, a muffled murmur of your name fading in your step back through the mirror between the vines pouring over your arms onto your chest. Onto the dusty marble floor you stepped adjusting your massive skirt around you peering out at the flickers of people passing by between the vines. Lowering your gaze you looked around and crouched grabbing a large stone you turned and slammed into the mirror at the sound of her voice drawing nearer.

**_Woah, we're half way there_ **

**_Woah, livin' on a prayer_ **

**_Take my hand, we'll make it I swear_ **

**_Woah, livin' on a prayer_ **

*

**_Tommy's got his six-string in hock_ **

**_Now he's holding in what he used to make it talk_ **

**_So tough, it's tough_ **

**_Gina dreams of running away_ **

**_When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers_ **

**_Baby, it's okay, someday_ **

Centuries since abandoning their southern wing at the losses of the War of Wrath the Silvan and Teleri of Amon Lanc shifted to the more populated portions of their keep. You had changed things, a stolen week had left Sauron defeated in your doing what Elrond couldn’t. A hard kick to the groin and Isildur left little struggle to the task of disposing of the ring, of course you were now banned from Gondor for life, but the idiot and his people were alive and sent quite lavish gifts when you were told to have returned. It wasn’t your choice to leave last time, an Elf Lord wishing for the then Prince to wed his daughter shoved you through the mirror in the last flickers of its light and since made it impossible for you to return somehow.

**_We've got to hold on to what we've got_ **

**_It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not_ **

**_We've got each other and that's a lot for love_ **

**_We'll give it a shot_ **

The Prince, now King, whom you watched marry and become a father and now widow had never let go of the hope you would return. Changes were made and yet each full moon he was well known to spend the nights here, in this dusty hall waiting on you, right where he found the mirror hidden and bolted down. He would have moved it, right to his apartment, yet the process of removal was revealed to destroy the very portal connecting the pair of you. Again he sat and watched the glimpses of you he could catch, yet the sight of vines coating the mirror had broken his hope of your return. You had covered the mirror, moved it somewhere by itself. You had given up and forgotten him.

**_Woah, we're half way there_ **

**_Woah, livin' on a prayer_ **

**_Take my hand, we'll make it I swear_ **

**_Woah, livin' on a prayer_ **

**_Livin' on a prayer_ **

With tears in his eyes he got up and slowly turned to leave the room making his way begrudgingly to the Feast of Starlight soon to begin. He made it three halls over when the sound of mirrored glass hitting the floor made him sharply turn and sprint back to the moonlit hall. The clatter of a stone halted him in the doorway and wide eyed he stared at the purple fuzzy wrap falling from your shoulders you caught in your turn revealing the figure hugging corseted sleeveless top to the tight dress flaring out around the knees. Even masked he could see just who you were, white golden hair tucked up in a bedazzled bun coated with fake flowers matching your silver mask making your purple eyes shine even brighter. The bright red coating of your lips drew his eyes next in the split of your entrancing smile luring the exhaling King closer.

 _“Dew Drop. Sorry about the mirror.”_ Moving closer to him you gripped your dress adjusting the skirt to ease walking in your steps he mirrored drawing closer to you. _“I just can’t go back.”_

Shaking his head his hands rose to land on your arms making him draw in a shaky breath, _“And I would never allow you back again, even if you had not broken it. You are home.”_ His eyes sank over you and your puzzling dress.

 _“I didn’t pick it,”_ his eyes snapped back to yours, _“The dress.”_ You looked him over, _“Did I interrupt a party?”_

Again he shook his head lifting a hand to cup your cheek, _“The Feast of Starlight is tonight. There is time to change, should you wish it.”_

You nodded, _“Yes, then maybe I can ask for help in turning this dress into a blanket or something.”_

Your giggle drew a relieved chuckle from the King and he stepped back, _“Of course. I will show you back to our apartment to change.”_

Quietly he did so and you caught the excited gasps and whispers of the Elves and Elleths spreading word of your return. Straight to the King’s apartment you were led and inside he guided you to the Pearl colored doors marking the Queen’s private chambers he opened, _“This is yours. All of your belongings from Lindon are here, among others. With a suitable number of gowns to choose from.”_ When you tossed the wrap onto the bench in the closet he urged the glow in the crystal lanterns brighter in his eyes fell over your back to the zipper you were trying to reach. _“Allow me.”_ Smoothly he found and eased the zipper lower and offered a hand to help you step out of your gown.

Steadily he looked over your body inches from him in nothing but your panties and when you reached up to remove the mask his eyes locked on yours, _“I tried, to get back,”_

 _“The Lord responsible for stealing and blocking your mirror has been executed decades past now. There is no threat to you, My Love. I have ensured it.”_ Dropping the mask your hand rose to cup his cheek and the distance was lost, his lips hungrily molded to yours and his arms circled your back pulling you right up against his chest.

A knock on the door to his apartment sounded and a messenger called out in the main hall seeing the Pearl doors open, _“My King?”_

Gently his nose stroked yours in his velvety call in return, _“One moment.”_ Opening his eyes he found yours still closed easing another warm kiss ending in a tentative pull back in which your hands remained latched on to him. _“Let us choose your gown,”_ he whispered and smiled leading you to the one he had made for tonight, _“This one?”_

You nodded and he smiled wider removing it from the hanger to help you into it. A sleeveless white gown hugging you to the layered flare out in folds from the hips down shifting from white to red in a far more manageable skirt for walking and dancing. The buttons up the back were secured and a final touch of your shimmering crown was added with another kiss and he took your hand to guide you out again.

Into the hall you strolled and grinned at the messenger, who bowed his head to you both when he snapped out of his moment of shock, _“Lord Celeborn has arrived and Lord Elrond and his family are awaiting their formal greeting in the Throne Room.”_

Thranduil nodded his head, _“Yes, I shall grab my son and we will be along shortly.”_ He bowed his head again and turned to leave watching you turn to join the King in the walk to the giggle filled nursery across from your apartment. He glanced at you before giving the door a gentle push stating, _“Little Leaf, there is someone I wish for you to meet.”_

Another gasp sounded and he called out, _“Naneth!”_ Spreading the smile across your face in his rush over to hug you.


	17. Up

Blue, the only meaning it has is up. A blue diamond necklace was what you were gifted. Soul Seekers, your gift from Ulmo to guide you to your Ones. It was said that many lands were lost in the Kinslayings, but you didn’t die, no, you just went down. Almost all were destined to remain and spend eternity under the calming protective waves until the end, but not you, no, upon birth Ulmo gave you blue. Taken from your parents and guided by Ulmo himself upon the world above to ease your bond with your One. New languages, items and things you had only seen by connecting your mind to Ulmo’s in your lessons. But the most laughable had to be the courting rituals. Giant slabs of rocks with odd phrases to ‘pick up’ your Ones, why you had to call it that when there was no physical lifting involved puzzles you immensely. All the same you studied and accepted your place apart up until the big event. Songs were sung and tales were told, and a glow from your necklace led you to the vast above.

A gentle push under your fins turned feet and up onto the dock you went. Barefoot and clad in a shimmering pale blue gown you joined the others in the loud and dizzying path up to the waiting ship. At the gate a glimpse of your necklace after your naming yourself of the clan Pear a sleek tablet was passed over to you and inside you went. So many faces, sights, sounds, smells and enchanting distractions popped up around you yet a glimpse off into the distance you had seen a face and the necklace around your neck steadied it’s pulse to match his heart. You had heard them call him Prince, and alone you continued to wander through this floating city of a ship. Off to the Grey Havens you were bound and there you would dock, should you touch water before then you would have to wait for another chance, but should you win his heart you could remain on land with him.

.

Two days you barely missed him and then finally alone in a diner you found him again, a bare seat calling out to you. Instantly his eyes scanned over your almost shimmering skin and silvery curls pooling down your back with silver flecked lilac eyes to match making him shake his head almost at the thought of seeing you through a thin layer of water. **_“You can’t spell menu without Me and U, so what’s up baby?”_**

Apart his lips fell then they closed in the furrowing of his brows before you said in that same ethereal tone, **_“Do you have a pencil? Cause I want to erase your past and write our future.”_**

Hastily he wet his lips and replied sheepishly with the first thing that popped into his head, “How much does a polar bear weigh?”

A wide breath taking smile, “Enough to break the ice.” Weakly he chuckled in awe at how a single smile lit you up and caused his heart to race. More terrible puns and jokes were shared until his name was called by a guard in the distance.

Up he stood and eyed your tablet he pointed to that you raised for him with brows raised. A gentle tap and the link was formed, “I have to go. But I’ll message you. I’m sorry, your name?”

“Jaqiearae Pear.”

He nodded his head, “Thranduil Oripherion.” He glanced at the guard again and sighed, “Shouldn’t be an hour.”

Alone you sat and finished eating then went back to your assigned suite saved for the illustrious Pear clan and waited until finally his message popped up and until sunrise when he was free you chatted this way.

6 days he was yours and had all but said those words feeling the bond every bit as much as you. But Melkor can be jealous, and his dark song had left echoes through time, and this echo was in the shape of an iceberg. On crash and frenzied panic later the boats were being lowered. A split through the hull of the ship when Thranduil was being lowered in one boat and you waited for another a hasty shove left a girl topple over the edge. Before you knew it you had leapt over the side and had broken the surface of the frigid waters. A hasty swivel of your long silvery lilac fin and you had caught her before she touched the water.

Behind you a boat case and in the tipping of the ship you were no longer the only mermaid up on the surface, countless glowing bodies held the passengers up until boats could be freed for all of them to fill. It had never been seen before, a pod of your kind, between blue whales the boat was steadied and ferried off to the distant shore. Up on the edge of his boat you and Thranduil chatted once again, yet in clear view of the shore your kin started to sink again luring his eyes back to you in panic.

“No..” his hand locked on yours and tears welled up in your eyes pulling the chain from your neck you folded in his palm.

A sudden rise had your lips on his and in your pull back you whispered, “I was not meant to touch the water. I must return with them. You have my heart.”

“No!”

He repeated but you had sank evading his grip, the last words he heard you say was a tear filled, “I’m sorry.”

…

Months he had been settled into this green lush place. Surrounded by thousand who all bowed and ensured he had all he required and more yet his chest ached as if breaking in two slow and deadly. He should have said it, he was yours, none other would have his heart and never would he dare to kiss another dwelling on that sweet tender thieving moment. For just a week he was loved fully and truly, he would never let another date to try loving him to honor you. A trip was in the process of being planned, he would sneak away and stay in the edge of the ocean waiting, hoping and praying for a glimpse of you. Over and over he stroked the jeweled heart you had given him he kept wrapped around his wrist to ensure it remained in his palm where you had left it.

_He would find you, he would tell you all he had left unsaid. He…_

A spurt of water on the back of his hand halted him in place making him turn to the stream on his right. A rapid finger wave had his lips parting in shock as you surfaced stretching out a hand. Tightly his hand gripped your forearm in the dropping of his books and up he pulled you, again minus a tail. What was left unsaid remained unsaid when as soon as your feet hit the ground his lips found yours again and tightly you embraced ignoring those gathering around the gardens.

.

No one questioned where the Princess came from or why now there is an abundance of fountains and why the younger Prince is so fond of swimming.


	18. Never

“Oh fuck…” Again you had woken up in a forest. For a decade now this kept happening, even to the point of sleeping fully dressed with supplies shrunken in your pocket pouch. Over your head a deer leapt and that was when you caught the scent, smoke, thick black smoke billowed through the forest, a sharp gasp came from you as you squirmed out of the way of a second deer followed by a group of younger fawns racing for their lives. Up onto your feet you shot and out of your palm a dousing spell erupted instantly killing the flames while overhead clouds billowed and sheets of rain began to pour down in a growing storm drawing up shouts and screams in the distance. Turning away you raced after the now slowing deer who all eyed you in your race away and curiously followed after you.

Leaping over a knotted band of roots a back of a pointy eared man caught your fall slamming hard into the dirt while the deer landed on top of a trio of men around that one. Wincing in looking the unconscious men over you softly whispered, “Sorry..”

A muffled whimper came from a whicker box you opened and gasped again in seeing the two silver eyed mint green eyed toddlers bound and gagged who seemed all too pleased to see you and your curly silver haired purple eyed self. Shouts neared and you scooped the pair up and turned to run again gaining more and more animals following your path until at the end of a vast stretch of snow you huffed and forced your body into a shiver summoning a coat from your pocket pouch that folded around you and the boys with a scarf mostly covering your face under the hood you raised up and tightened the drawstrings to. Oddly enough where you would have sunk into the snow you stood wide eyed staring down at the two feet of snow under you before you took a cautious step.

Two miles through the snow you trudged along until you reached a stone path, inside which you happened to turn and between the herds of animals spotted the thousands of people following after you with what looked to be all they owned. Turning again you found a series of caves in a ravine you all settled into. It didn’t take long for you to realize something else, a stolen feel of your ears in the sea of pointy eared masses you traced the point new to your ears now twitching as you realized that they were speaking a language you didn’t know.

Seated in a circle of deer you sighed and unzipped your jacket and inhaled sharply realizing you had to pee. Carefully you settled the unbound boys onto a blanket you subtly summoned from your pouch and said, “I’ll be right back.” In standing up they tried to do the same only for you to gently set them down again, wide eyed with quivering lips they stared up at you until you waved your hand, “No.”

Holding up your hand you began to count folding each finger down until you had a fist then you started over again, the boys eyed the action and you repeated, “Keep counting, I’ll be back.” You pointed to the crack in the cave wall you could use to slip out and then back again extending your fingers, the motion drawing attention from a blonde haired group opposite you taking advantage of the clear space around you and your herds to settle on their own. A flash of your fingers extended and fisted in pointing to the door and back again had the boys looking at your hand allowing you to slip away. To themselves they eyed their fingers and your clambering path over the herd to the door making the blonde woman’s mouth fall open as you bundled up again assuming you were leaving the boys.

Shivering outside into a goat you transformed making the task of peeing in this tundra more tolerable a task as you mumbled, “Where the fuck did I get myself stuck this time?” Years these forests would be farther and farther from home, but by the shape of their ears and the fact everyone was counting out tiny sticks of gold and silver you knew you were possibly never going to make it home again, and if you did what the hell would you do about these boys. Stolen handfuls of dirt added sticks of currency to your person and soft incantations had a supply of diapers and changes of clothes in another bag for the boys to change them when you got back. In another fist of their making their smiles spread in seeing you return shaking off your jacket you unbuttoned to lower your hood drawing countless eyes your way to the soft whisper of a word you couldn’t catch, _“Nimloth.”_

.

Scooting closer to you as the boys were laid back the woman watched you change the pair and wiggled them into a warm set of footie pajamas they grinned at seeing on the other with tails and hoods complete with bear ears they thanked you for with tight hugs. Onto your lap they climbed as you reached into a duffel bag of supplies the others hadn’t noticed, a pack of instant potatoes was brought out and heated up with a pop up stove you lent to the group moving closer to you three as subtly as they could muster. Tries for conversations were lost while they muttered to themselves making the boys snuggle closer to you eventually making them drift off in your arms. The infant boy in the youngests arms making you summon smaller sets of diapers and clothes for him widening their grateful grins they gave you.

Slowly your eyes drooped shut and your head fell back against the side of the stag behind you who just nuzzled closer to you and the boys. Sunrise eventually came, and in the sound of others readying to move on mingled with murmurs of that word again. A squinting glance at the family around you had you shifting up onto your feet to bundle up after an encouraging nudge from the stag behind you. Oropher, Thranduil, Legolas, Taule, Elured and Elurin, the names of your new tiny group of friends. Days you traveled together until you filed into a vast stretch of fields on the edge of another forest.

An odd symbol on a gate had you gripping both boys in the sling you turned the coat into with one arm to pull out a pocket sized journal from your pocket pouch. Peering from the gate to the book again you sighed mumbling, “Come on boys.” Moving on as one of your reoccurring nightmares came from a try to dwell here ending badly no matter what you did.

Behind you the family stood staring between the gates and you only to follow along their lingual challenged friend and the herds luring nearly half of those following behind after you. It seemed each time you glanced back that there were more people and it wasn’t until you had rounded another set of mountains you refused to cross that you began to see green again. A small stretch was where part of the group remained as you continued on after a long nights rest, but a shriek from you in the next morning at the group of men seeming popping out of the forest on the edge of your camp stirred the trio of infants to begin to wail as you and Thranduil calmed them. Again that word was whispered between these people and those in the forest beckoning you in closer.

Where the thought of being left to a place of your own had grown in your mind you now stood in the center of a hut built around the base of a massive tree with your group of blondes around you. You couldn’t put your finger on it but something about this situation gave off a whiff of domestic bliss in the making, and each night as you settled into the cot beside Thranduil’s you mumbled to yourself, “Nope, not married…roommates…budget friendly baby buddies…Not, married.” Yet each night after your second month here while Oropher became more and more pushed into a leadership role for all those previously here and having traveled with you a stolen slide of his hand to loop a finger with yours on the hand dangling from your cot steadily told you otherwise.

…

Wide eyed you sat up, once again under the stars in the forest groaning as you realized you were in a clearing in the middle of the same forest. Swords had been drawn, armor wrapped around all able and panting once again you found your feet and raced to the edge of the forest where you saw the twisted mangled creatures trying to approach the forest. Narrowing your gaze a single wave of your hand and an explosive wave of power shot out of you rippling through the army opposing your allied terrified fleeing friends. In the easing of hair from their faces their jaws dropped seeing the mangled creatures now chickens clucking in the field and in turning their eyes flinched wider as the murmur of that word echoed out again in your backwards staggering fall.

Instead of a finger your whole hand was clasped in Thranduil’s in his teary gaze hovering over you. It was his first taste of battle, even without drawing his blade just yet, and he could barely stomach it, he could barely lift his arm clearly meaning he would surely die. You had saved his life, yes among thousands, but his none the less and he would always tell himself that you had come solely for him.

The Silvans had been a challenge just as you had, their dialect a rough language you new enough of to make it by leading to a mass upheaval of dialog. Every Elf had taken to learning the language and it was in this task that you and Thranduil began to learn one another. It was in this you learned he was now a Prince and his parents King and Queen. Your title stunningly Queen in your own right, for what reason you had no clue of as they kept calling you flower even after sharing your real name.

They were stubborn, but you were too, and when the huts were clearly not enough for everyone the grand palace you had been sketching and dreaming of grew under the light of the next moon and one by one with gentle nudges and pushes guiding them inside to their own doors you gave them keys to with wide grins. Grins you hoped to goad them inside only making you roll your eyes and guide them into unlocking the door you opened for them and said _“Home.”_ That word did it, gasps, tears and one awkwardly seven and a half foot tall man collapsing into you righted by a self appointed guard who never spoke who helped him and his equally as faint wife inside to erupt into squeals at the marble carved stained glass decorated marvel.

The last hut to empty was yours, and with it was the finalizing of the title your friends had been given, straight into the main apartment you had designed for the King and Queen with five guest bedrooms and a kitchen of its own and a few spare baths on top of their en suite sitting room and study they strolled and inspected each room with wide grins and nipped lips. A turn to drape his arm around your back in a near hug had Thranduil turning in circles asking himself lowly, _“Where did you go?”_

Out of the apartment after checking each room his free hand patted Legolas’ back in his nap against his chest and he eyed the open door to his right through which he heard you naming each room for your boys. _“This one would be a sitting room, and dining room through here attached to a kitchen. These are bedrooms over here, with yours, through here, see,”_ Behind you he crept seeing the large window with a bench built inside of it you set them on aiming them out to look up into the clear view of the sky, _“All the stars are so bright tonight.”_

Sharing more of the plans for how their room and the apartment would be you didn’t realize their makeshift cribs being moved in by Oropher and Taule beside Legolas’, now holding the slumbering Prince. In the boys’ hopes to go to sleep you kissed them and tucked them in and curiously went to find Thranduil only to pause in your chosen bedroom with a wall of windows looking over a set of waterfalls in the distance glowing in the moonlight echoing hums of the trees around them even with the windows shut. Even from the door the effect was more than you’d have hoped, floor to ceiling stars and moonlight, yet the image making your heart skip was your cots in the center of the room far behind him. Lifted into the air you squeaked and couldn’t help but grin in Oropher’s sharing his love for the home you had given them.

A sentiment shared by all Elves now giddily decorating their new homes, even the most dedicated Silvans to their lives among the trees loved the tree centered apartments in spiraling towers around the circle of trees surrounding the Palace they had begun moving into. Tasking jobs for artists to decorate the halls and apartments came next with furniture crafters more than eager to get back to work again adding chances to the far Dwarves freshly settled into the peak they had crafted for themselves to settle some form of trade as well. Sleep was called for again and changed for it you made your way to your cot, stretching out and closing your eyes only to open them at Thranduil’s hand folding around yours at your side with a low hum of a whisper, _“We will be happy here, I swear it.”_

You must have dreamed it, you told yourself, but again alone with this man who you had settled a very lovely bedroom and possible nursery for his son the question circled around again, as to why he was here and just what he thought of you.

**_Baby we can talk all night_ **

**_But that ain't gettin us nowhere_ **

**_I told you everything I possibly can_ **

**_There's nothing left inside of here_ **

**_And maybe you can cry all night_ **

**_But that'll never change the way I feel_ **

**_The snow is really piling up outside_ **

**_I wish you wouldn't make me leave here_ **

**_I poured it on and I poured it out_ **

**_I tried to show you just how much I care_ **

**_I'm tired of words and I'm too hoarse to shout_ **

**_But you've been cold to me so long_ **

**_I'm crying icicles instead of tears_ **

Weeks you had carved it. They had seen your powers, what you could craft without much effort past incantations and a design, but this was different. This was painstakingly done by hand. It was an old job of yours, growing up in a music shop with your grandparents before you had to sell it when they were gone, your task, a grand piano. It was almost a reminder to yourself who you once were and what you had always wanted to do and be.

**_And all I can do is keep on telling you_ **

**_I want you, I need you_ **

**_But-there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you_ **

**_Now don't be sad_ **

**_'Cause two out of three ain't bad_ **

**_Now don't be sad_ **

**_'Cause two out of three ain't bad_ **

It rang out through the kingdom, a voice singing a song able to make the strongest shed a tear to the sound of an odd instrument they had never heard before. Guessing the source of the voice out to the music room in the Royal Wing wrapped by glass echoed with the source of the heart clenching tune sending Thranduil racing from a shop to find you.

**_You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach_ **

**_You'll never drill for oil on a city street_ **

**_I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks_ **

**_But there ain't no Coup de Ville hiding at the bottom_ **

**_Of a Cracker Jack box_ **

Among the others he listened to your voice wondering what he had done to cause this doubt in you of his true intentions. Maybe you had taken it as some form of debt, his attentions towards courtship mainly as your link to his family raising their rank greatly.

**_I can't lie, I can't tell you that I'm something I'm not_ **

**_No matter how I try_ **

**_I'll never be able to give you something_ **

**_Something that I just haven't got_ **

**_There's only one girl I'll ever love_ **

**_And that was so many years ago_ **

**_And though I know I'll never get her out of my heart_ **

**_She never loved me back_ **

**_Oh I know_ **

You had never questioned about Legolas’ mother, and now he was worried about that. Possibly you had imagined him indifferent and indebted to you. You had imagined he did not care truly. Your home worlds were so different. He had done everything properly, and clearly with your offer of a private home to continue the courtship a step farther he could have been more affectionate. He should have been.

**_I remember how she left me on a stormy night_ **

**_She kissed me and got out of our bed_ **

**_And though I pleaded and I begged her not to walk out that door_ **

**_She packed her bags and turned right away_ **

True he had been settled into a match a decade back and Legolas was a blessing in disguise, his poor frail wife weakened so much by the birth in a harsh winter traveled to the gardens of Yavanna passing on the ritual dissolving of their union. They were young and urged on too quickly greatly weakening her. No, he never truly loved her, merely cherished the gift she had given to him.

**_And she kept on telling me_ **

**_She kept on telling me_ **

**_She kept on telling me_ **

**_I want you, I need you_ **

He needed you, he wanted and ached for you. Since first seeing you in the wafting smoke turned blizzard he saw only you in the sea of deer. He was the one to follow you unflinchingly first and he never wavered. Since the first removal of your hood and scarf he couldn’t take his eyes off you, drawn to you like a sunflower to the sun. His parents could tell, and each silent affirmation or gesture in the months of language barriers he treasured each nudge, push and insistence to remain still or aid you in some task becoming so much harder with the barrier between you, he loved you and would make you certain of that fact.

**_But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you_ **

**_Now don't be sad_ **

**_'Cause two out of three ain't bad_ **

**_I want you, I need you_ **

**_But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you_ **

**_Now don't be sad_ **

**_'Cause two out of three ain't bad_ **

**_Baby we can talk all night_ **

**_But that ain't getting us nowhere_ **

Napping soundly in their rolling crib the trio of boys cooed contently in the final humming note of the piano. A pant in the hall had you turn and stand however. Thranduil came into view and within moments was in front of you exploding with every sentiment he could think of leaving you speechless. A fact only worsened when his lips crashed into yours and he drew you flush against his chest to melt around you. Lazily your arms drooped around the back of his neck in the deepening of the enamored kiss. All in all, if you had to choose, if he was going to keep kissing you like this being married to this silent jelly bean might not be all that bad.


	19. Dashing

“You’re not even cute” The voice rang out clearly and an irritated cock of the antlered head of your best friend landed his wide eyes on the little woolen clad girl donning mittens a poofball topped hat and sloped shoes for this ridiculous suntan lotion commercial who had uttered it.

All he had done was tell her about the chord hidden under the fake snow she was crossing and after a sharp inhale puffing up his fake fur coated chest his hoof ended arms propped on one hip with the other wagging in her face, “You’re right sweetie, I’m not cute. I’m drop-dead gorgeous.”

A scoff from her came with his retort, “Why do you think they chose me for the role of Dashing?”

The little girl crossed her arms and fired back, “It’s Dasher, Dufus!”

To which you replied adjusting the top of your bikini top tethered to the bikini bottoms coated in ridiculous frills to compliment your swan floaty waiting in your ‘ocean’ of a kiddie pool in the beach half of the set. “No, it’s Dashing. Dasher cost three times as much.” With an amused scrunch of your nose back at the girl sticking her tongue out at you Thranduil chuckled and turned making you all but laugh at the white tail propped up just in the rim of his fur suit coated ass. Carefully he offered a hoof to help keep you steady in your climb into the ‘ocean’ and onto your floaty for the first take.

Santa from the side smirked at your giggle at the wink sending Thranduil’s fake lashes fluttering in the lifting of your arms in your recline back. Thranduil found his place back in the snow by the sleigh and other reindeer as Santa took his place atop the sleigh on the beach half readying for his move to drop coat for the cheesy sunglass inducing pasty skin reveal. That was when the slogan would play and he would be swapped out for his twin, complete with spray tan. The full ordeal ending with the final few lines in his ‘return’ to the North Pole and toss of a present your way as the reindeer around the sleigh would be splayed out in awkward poses trying to be cool as the bundled up children cheered.

For two hours of prepping the team of reindeers and children with their costumes and makeup the filming took barely twenty minutes and you were off to scrub, change and head off. Off to the side you watched Thranduil in his being eased out of the facemask and full body suit leaving just his makeup to remove. Lowly he hummed catching you in his mirror with a worried expression, “Just two more of these and our trip will be paid for.”

Heavily you sighed saying, “At least you get to hide behind a face mask. No doubt everyone at school will be talking about this.”

“Maybe next time you will get the mask.”

Lowly you huffed hugging your legs in front of you wrapped in his jacket at your usual bout of chills when you needed to eat soon making him mentally reel as to where he wanted to take you after this. “It’s only cuz I’m short. I would make an adorable reindeer.”

Widely he smirked through the stifled chuckle of the woman removing his fake eyelashes and heavy eye makeup, “Yes you would. Who knows, maybe for the sunglass ad they might need something like a chipmunk or-,”

He chuckled at your foot nudging the back of his seat, “Or an adorably spunky tiny reindeer who could kick Dashing’s butt.”

Laughing out loud he beamed brightly saying, “One can only hope they chose that alley for hocking their sunglasses.”

..

Sure enough at school by the end of the week the add had been blasted online and had been shoved in your face each chance anyone passing by got, a wave of unwarranted torment that Thranduil took personally and took it upon himself to shift to a more tolerable target. Your separate second classes gave him the opportunity, using his connections and calling in for a few favors he got a stack of print outs of his place in the reindeer group and signed each and every one of them. As soon as the bell rang all the way to your shared class he passed them out bragging about his role and approached each guy trying to give you a hard time, all of whom took the willing target to pick on. Shrugging it all off Thranduil simply boasted about the role, “You’re just jealous, two more adds and our Middle Earth summer travel fund will be doubled what we’d planned.”

Backwards he strolled shooting finger guns to his seat beside yours then dropped into his seat smiling at you widely showing you the image he’d chosen making you giggle as he said, “You know what’s more embarrassing than being in a bikini in a suntan lotion add? Being a reindeer in one.” Firing a wink your way in your calming grin looking forward as the teacher called the class to quiet down.

.

All the way to lunch he continued to pass out the pictures and boast about the role even bringing more students to ask what your next roles were until you had your meals set on the table you had chosen. Lists of all the places you were going to visit were looked over in your near blush inducing journey journal complete with scrapbook styled cutouts, notes and doodles around each stop. One especially made you stop each time, a bridge for lovers to usually stop at he had left to near the end of your trip.

“We should take off Vana’s Bridge.”

Scoffing at you he said, “We can’t go through Orome’s Square and not visit the infamous Vana’s Bridge!”

“You do realize it’s for couples! We can’t take a picture there! People would assume-,”

Scoffing at you he swatted your hand away from trying to mark out the stop, “People can assume all they like, but we are going!” Your lips parted only to shut at his saying, “By the time we get there we will be a couple!”

Playfully your brow inched up, “Oh really? You think that?”

Smirking back at you he replied, “Oh I know that! I’m going to be your boyfriend by then!”

“Is that so?”

He nodded, “It is so! And better yet we’re going to have a picture of us kissing there.”

“You wanna bet?” Your smirk was answered by his and silently the bargain was struck, one that was broken by that very afternoon when the usual sendoff in your dropping him off at home after school a kiss was stolen, though for a good month and a half who the thief was turned into a source of argument.


	20. The Ice Cream Bandit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 20- “Loving you is as easy as breathing.”  
> “But you’re asthmatic.”  
> “Your point?”  
> Day 21 –   
> “Get out of my face before I hit you.  
> “I don’t care if your 4 or 40, you don’t hit people.”

What you wouldn’t give for a Dragon about now. In a room of suitors you stared at yet another fake smiling three piece donning imbecile who pretended that the whole world didn’t know about his domestic assault charges an ex had filed and promptly dropped before the slew of yacht photos now flooding her social pages between pictures of the fleet of sports cars since having done so. Straight faced you greeted each of them as if you couldn’t feel your father’s eyes boring into you like drills demanding you choose the future owner of your life and crown. You had just gotten your books for your final year of University and had assumed you could be granted a tiny bit of freedom, unlike your mother who had mysteriously taken ill and was shipped back to her homeland to be with family before you could be brought home from middle school. It was since then that he had changed, a King with a secret is a dangerous thing.

At least you were allowed to school still for the time being, that is what you kept reminding yourself. The stroke of a finger against your shoulder down onto your chest granted the owner of said hand a heavy slam into his foot with your heel as you pleasantly said through his muffled groan, “Careful, someone else might take that contact the wrong way. I will give you ten minutes to hobble your chauvinistic ass out of the palace before I throw you off that balcony.”

A flash of a grin came in your pretending to notice another gentleman entering the room near the window to the balcony. The offender hobbled out and the entering male took it as his cue to lay on the charm while your threat was followed and your gaze lowered to the path outside the window overlooking the servant entrance to the kitchens. Again the same flash of blonde hair on the son of your family chef who you had seen and never been allowed to speak with outside of school. Always your allowed partner in classes, and in University the only one welcomed in the zone of nine chairs around you your guards kept for either themselves or to leave empty for monitoring.

Each time he would exit the door in between errands taking him either to the herb gardens or orchards for fresh supplies for the next course in a circle he would turn peering up at the windows. It was easy to find you today, head to toe in a white shimmering one shoulder gown hugging you to the knee where it flared out. Subtly his head would nod anytime he caught sight of you and a stolen stroke of his ear acted as your easily mistakable wave for a nervous twitch. It always meant the same when caught, ice cream would be waiting in your room, how he managed it each time you never knew but still even sharing your bowls in separate places was something, it had to be something, there had to be someone who would care about you and not who you were being forced to be.

“Loving you is as easy as breathing.”

That turned your gaze back to the visiting Lord, “But you’re asthmatic.”

His cocky grin only grew and he fired back, “Your point?”

Inhaling deeply you turned with a flash of a grin to return to your seat as the ‘entertainment’ was set to begin.

*

Past midnight screams rippled through the Royal Wing and with it Thranduil’s stomach clenched, they had only gotten worse since your last birthday and made it harder for him to remain silent. Even if he knew it was wrong he was held hostage to silence, where strangers would be thrown from the tallest tower for insulting your disrespecting you it seemed the King was exempt from that rule. Through a series of hidden tunnels he found your room and slipped inside, never would he use these forgotten pathways to spy on you or harm your reputation in any way but in your growing sadness he felt an urge to try and ease it, even if it was just a stolen bowl of ice cream with a nameless note on where to leave it for collection later.

Frozen in place he heard the King shout clearly, “YOU WILL BE BETROTHED BY NEXT METEOR FESTIVAL OR I WILL CHOOSE WHO SUCCEEDS MY CROWN MYSELF!!”

“FORGIVE ME FOR EVER ASSUMING THAT I WOULD BE TAKING UP THE CROWN AND WHO I WOULD BE FORCED TO LIVE WITH! I AM SO SORRY I DON’T HAVE THE REQUIRED APPENDAGE FOR A CROWN! ALL THOSE LESSONS ON RULING A KINGDOM JUST A WASTE FOR NO SON TO BENEFIT FROM THEM!! WHAT A FAILURE YOU MUST FEEL FOR NOT HAVING ANOTHER DICK TO FOLLOW YOU ONTO THE THRONE!!” Smirking to himself he heard a door slam and eased the bowl into the usual wardrobe hearing you storming your way back to your suite though for some reason he froze at the next slamming door and continued shouts from the clearly intoxicated King.

A heavy huff sounded in the bolting of your door and wide eyed in your entrance into your bedroom you froze seeing your ice cream bandit standing there equally as wide eyed. Hastily he pointed at the wardrobe, “Chocolate vanilla swirl, kiwi, strawberries, gummy bears and nerds, just how you like it.”

Unable to help it you smirked through a soft blush, “How can you say that with a straight face?” Shrugging in response in your glance at the wardrobe he slipped out of the room and into your study to pass through the door in the bookcase he closed behind him. Noticing you were alone you hurried to your study to turn around mumbling, “Where did you go?” An upward glance source of the shadow passing over you a white moth fluttering around the crystal coated light fixture on the ceiling had you mumble, “Can’t be you, my ice cream bandit. How could you get the bowl up here?”

Turning around you said, “Enjoy the light, and stay away from my sweaters.” Turning to change and curl up to your favorite late night court shows as you ate your ice cream.

.

In the kitchens again Thranduil froze once more seeing his father pointing at the candy pouches on the counter, “You are not avoiding the question this time, what are you doing with the Princesses’ candy stash? She leaves them specifically-,”

Thranduil huffed, “I took the Princess some ice cream.”

Oropher’s mouth dropped open, “We aren’t the wait staff! There are proper channels-!”

Thranduil, “I know! She didn’t see me!”

Oropher, “Even better! Sneaking into the Princesses’ suite! We could get sacked if you get caught! And you could get beheaded for damaging her reputation!”

Thranduil, “She’s my friend!” That stunned the chef even more, “She had a hard day, I didn’t take cocktails I left a bowl of ice cream and was gone before the King was through demanding she find a betrothed by the festival.”

Oropher was about to speak when his wife patted his shoulder saying, “I am certain he was careful, and does not cross this line often,” her eyes turned to her son who nodded.

“I would never! I just wanted to help her have something pleasant today to distract her form being bartered off.”

Oropher sighed, “Just be careful not to end your life over a bowl of ice cream.”

*

Three weeks of forced dinners weekly and events you would be dolled up for your true escape was another school party. Each time you were invited and the highest frat full of highly ranked children of Nobles would be there as usual each time you were demanded to go. It seemed the throne of Greater Greenwood was far too tempting for them to ignore, and as usual cameras were subtly stashed throughout with footage up for sale to the highest bidding tabloid for all the nonexistent gossip on you. Instantly they circled you and your skin began to crawl, a flash of white and you strolled after the life raft. Around your thighs your layered coral dress billowed and swayed on the breeze when you slipped out to the balcony.

*

Rolling his eyes Thranduil tugged at the tie he was forced to wear to attend this party, his braid was too tight and his vest was restrictive, but as always he found the balcony where he would sit watching the stars listening for any sign that you would need rescuing. Last time the ice sculpture tipped, a chair leg broke under a card player tipping him over the time before that, with a full power cut off as the worst he’d done with a snuck hand around your wrist tugging you to the night air guiding you out a back path your disguised guards had been relieved their allowed ally of yours was so prepped to aid in your protection. Heavily he dropped into the seat and sighed again releasing the button at the base of his neck then made work of his sleeves, unbuttoning one to roll up with the other after on his coral shirt matching your dress as per the allotted dress code for the evening.

The usual chatter sounded and then promptly died making him turn his head only to see you exiting the party on your way to his side making his brows inch up. Up at you he gazed and all at once you were wearing his jacket then on his lap with an arm slung around his shoulders with your lips pressed to his. Whispers flooded the party wondering where you’d gone as his jacket he’d set aside was eased on to hide your dress allowing you to be just another random couple in the crowd. It was meant to be one kiss and sure it still remained to be in the content rhythm broken into pace learning the motions of one another. Innocent yet growing more impassioned by the minute your fingers trailed along his cheek urging him on in a stolen flick of his tongue against your lip.

Surely you were just hiding, yet with his arms draped around your hips holding you on his lap flush against his chest that title and barrier of rank slipped away. Years he had left you treats to brighten your evening and now if all you wanted was this kiss he would savor it for as long as it lasted. No hint of alcohol was caught, only the hint of strawberries from your lip gloss that in a brush of your thumb under his lower lip was brushed away. Stolen fragments of glances at one another were taken in a pausing break for air, silent and uncertain how to carry on an inch closer from you brought his lips firmly back to yours again. Hours until the clock inside chimed a third time you remained fixed in his hold and grumbled at your arms retracting in a slow stroke over his shoulders.

He broke the silence, “We should get you back.” Wetting his lips he helped you up ensuring you remained blocked by his frame for the walk to the waiting car as the silently smirking guards followed along. Into the car he slid after you at a head nod from one of the guards who climbed onto the bench seat on the back while the other took the front seat. A subtle slide of his hand to yours along the seat calmed the tapping of your fingers when his palm covered the back of your hand in the folding of his fingers over your palm luring your fingers to fold in over his.

Parked again under the covered park a far from subtle call of the guards in your sheepish glance at Thranduil their heads dropped in bending to tie their shoes at once, though it was the tug on the Driver’s neck bringing him out of sight making you giggle under your breath in claiming another quick kiss once outside the car in passing over the jacket you had shrugged out of. In a whisper you flashed him a quick grin saying, “Night Dew Drop.”

In the rising of the guards and driver again he clenched his fingers around the jacket in his hands, “Goodnight, Princess Pear.” A yearning glance over your back in your path inside he waited for you to enter then turned to make way to the servant’s door, all the way to his room his grin spread with the warmth in his body from the feeling of your skin still lingering on his.

…

Sure enough by morning the pictures had hit the press, and wide eyed over their breakfast table the Greenleaves stared at their son with pinking ears shoveling down his meal before racing off to his chores. They were thankful he was nameless at least and his face was blocked by yours, it really was just those glimmering heels of yours with custom crowns in the soles each designer made just for you ensuring each pair was specially checked for your safety and comfort. A secret betrothal was rumored, though all that was cast out of attention as word exploded of the King suffering a fatal blow to the back of his head while you were found stabbed in the shoulder with a chord loosely around your neck.

It was everywhere, the guards flooded in around you seeing you to the hospital in Lothlorien under the watch of your distant cousin King Amroth, who had spent the better part of the day since your landing there fighting that you not be forced into marriage. Clearly distraught he sat waiting to hear how you were, the attack worsened in the media by the minute until he gathered himself enough to say that he had attacked you in a drug and alcohol induced rage. His balance clearly hindered as one kick sent him back into a fireplace mantel edge. Not two hours alter the surprisingly clean wound was sealed and the bruises around your neck said it all.

Where some had expected full refusal of your place you were the only heir and the council fell gladly in line, those all taking glee in the fact that their daughters now held a better standing in their futures in your being taken as the full and rightful ruler of the Greater Greenwood. Times had changed, and finally it seemed the monarchy was following the rest of the world, no more forced events, no more orders to marry anyone but the one of your choosing. A simple statement by you was had, bruises on full display, that you were taking up your place on the throne and anyone deeming themselves tempted to try stealing rule away by marriage was welcome to leave your lands in search for another crown.

It seemed a tad harsh, until the tidal wave inquiry you took into the actual deals your father had struck. School was on hold as you scoured through them all and the tipping point was found, a trio of Lords, all hung, who had been trifling of pieces of the crown for themselves had been flushed out into the public eye, fully stripped of their titles and financial assets you poured into public fundings that had been long over looked. A full month had passed and after a highly publicized coronation overshadowing the funeral of the fallen and badly used King had the lands settled calmly enough for a startling show of your place back to class. Sparsely at first, as you were due in meetings most days of the week, but you caught up your exams and even stole a highly photographed innocent lunch with Thranduil.

Each day you had settled more into your new tasks and also your new wing of the palace, a troubling thought for Thranduil as there had been no tunnels he could find to bring you your treats subtly, or chances to catch you through a window to see how you were that day. All he could find was a ledge leading to your balcony just across from his family cottage. Supplies in a bag he snuck to the wall staring at the ledge well above his reach.

A clearing of a throat made him flinch back looking one of your guards over, “Careful there, popping up on someone like that.”

Another guard behind him said, “Oh really? And just what is your reasoning for staring at this wall?”

Guard 1, “Someone might think you’re up to something.”

Thranduil shook his head saying, “Thought I saw a moth. Now, let me pass and get out of my face before I hit you.”

The pair smirked and Guard 2 replied, “I don’t care if you’re 4 or 40, you don’t hit people.”

Thranduil scoffed, “I hit people! You don’t know me.”

Guard 1 nodded and grabbed Thranduil’s wrist turning him around to face the wall before they crouched to grip his legs at the knee and said, “Hurry up there Tiny Tulkas and grab the ledge before the next patrol comes by.” When he made it onto the ledge he glanced down at the guards strolling away then turned to continue on. Through the open double doors on your balcony he strolled and looked around at the King’s quarters your Grandfather had once lived in now decorated to suit your own tastes. Setting down his bag on your coffee table he heard you changing in your bedroom, the turning of your doorknob as it was all set out he cleared his throat warning you of his place there.

A sheepish grin later and he saw you smirking up at him crossing the room in your pajamas to see just what he’d brought you. A faked need to wait for the guards to pass by led to his curling up beside you enjoying the sugary treat and eventually to your falling asleep on the couch. If there was concern of your reputation it didn’t last long as a trio of maids continued their verification checks on your safety and claimed the chance to cover you both up and leave keeping the secret with them. It seemed their new Queen had a secret too, but the matching acorn birthmarks on your ankles soon gave reason for why there was a new face attending the Meteor Festival who kept a firm hold on the Queen’s hand until you were pulled away. But little was left to imagine as per your relationship status when in looking up at the meteor shower he stood behind you with his arms draped around your middle grinning as you melted back against his chest with a spreading smile of your own at his kiss on your cheek.


	21. If You See Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 22 –   
> “Stop it! It tickles!”  
> “Quit it or I’ll bite.”  
> …  
> Day 23 -   
> “You’re going out dressed like that?”  
> “The skirt is supposed to be this short.”  
> “Take. It. Off.”

_Clunk, clunk, clunk._ Heavily the axe in Thranduil’s hand fell to the stump he was using to split wood on now turned away from so he could toss the split pieces of wood into the back of the atv he had used to collect wood from the fallen trees taken out by last months storms to stock up for the growing winter season coming his way. Hundreds of acres up in these mountains were his to claim after decades of toiling away in the city on various sky scrapers in his architecture firm in search of a closer view of the stars. Out here was where he found it, a company retreat up in the ski resort a private jet overhead was flying to. The final piece of chopped wood was added and back he turned to chop some more.

Hours he had been at it as again she had flooded into his mind, his childhood pen pal from a class project in Doriath pairing those from Gondolin. In their early teens their parents had arranged a meet and it became an annual tango of arranging breaks to visit one another, winters, springs and summers with various dates together. From the first moment he loved her and those silver flecks in her purple eyes reminding him of the stars, all under her shimmering white gold curls glimmering in the moonlight. His Darling Starlight, a living star in his eyes for how bright she shone when a smile split across her face, images trapped in his mind.

.

Another warm summer day had her strewn across his bed enjoying the sunlight pouring in through the open windows like a giant cat content in the warmth after weeks of rain keeping them both inside. It was the first day of freedom and from his closet and smirking Thranduil strut out saying, “I’m ready.”

In a turn over he caught her wide eyed gaze before she said it, under his black tank top was her favorite yellow skirt with black bird silhouettes across them not buttoned down the side as it should but tucked into his bright green boxer briefs under revealing his long tones legs. “Why are you wearing that?”

Cheekily he replied in a turn to flash a glimpse of him from the back, “The skirt is supposed to be this short.”

“Take. It. Off.”

Onto her stomach she rolled and jumped on his back making him laugh in their scrambling match ending how it usually did, him sitting on top of her after she started to nibble on his ear and the side of his neck. Nowhere near anything amorous but enough to make him cry out, “Stop it! It tickles!”

Atop her he folded his hands around hers fumbling at another try to stroke his ears making him pretend to bite at her hands in return as he managed to grab them, “Quit it or I’ll bite.” Quick apologizing pecks on her palms were given after gentle nibbles on the edges of her hands before he leaned forward in the mess of her giggles to plant their locked hands on either side of her head in his own chuckles. A nip at her lip halted his bubbling laughter in the wonder what her odd curious grin up at him meant, suddenly she lifted up and his eyes shut when their lips met. Tighter his fingers clenched around hers in her pull away and when he would have leaned in to steal another kiss he straightened up retracting his grip to peer at his bedroom door after the signaling creak of the wooden floor alerting for a guest.

A stolen stroke of fingers on his stomach had a burst of laughter leave him in the flex of his abs from the ticklish stroke making him squirm from her touch as the door opened. Her giggles continued in a glance at his father looking over the pair of them and then his son’s outfit. Narrowing his eyes for a moment Oropher inhaled sharply then stated, “You’re going out dressed like that?” hastily he wet his lips, “Little Bud, at least wear some knee high socks or something, that is an absurd amount of leg for the cool breeze today. Tomorrow perhaps, it is supposed to be hotter.”

Thranduil smirked at him, “I’ll wait then. None of my socks are long enough.”

Oropher nodded then said, “Alright then. Don’t forget to be home by four, your Naneth’s work dinner is at five.”

Thranduil, “I won’t forget.”

Oropher nodded then turned around, “As you were then.” Closing the door behind him smirking at another set of giggles in his stroll away.

Down again Thranduil ducked though this time cupping your cheeks to awkwardly mash his lips into yours quickly being corrected while your hands gripped, one at his shirt and the other around his neck.

.

That was the last summer and he could feel himself shaking remembering each night after you creeping from your bed to his for more hushed bouts of tangling up under the covers in heated make out sessions and how it timidly pushed into more amorous explorations.

Each blow of the ax growing harsher in the tears welling up in his eyes remembering the news splashing across the screen as his family sat for a family movie night. _‘Ship overturned’_ that was it, along the way to Gondolin a ship had been traveling, it took two days to get from Doriath to Gondolin crossing those waters and in the aftermath of an attack on Gondolin the shockwaves sent monster waves that overturned the ship.

Hours he had spent awake as the images flashed back like his hours switching through channels hoping for answers. _War. Ship. Death. Waves._ “Nothing, nothing, nothing,” he whimpered to himself through his tears remembering it all, from your first letter, the eagerness, the nerves, all up to that final morning, a hungry kiss and that final release of locked fingers to claim a tight hug at that boat dock.

 _“I love you, Dew Drop.”_ The words haunting him like a clap of thunder in a clear night sky hitting him at once making him shiver each time it suddenly echoed in his mind.

Sluggishly in a panting sob the ax tapped the stump and he lowered to crouch clamping his eyes shut in the rubbing the backs of his gloved hands over his face in a pained groan hearing his whispered reply, “I love you more. Just till Spring, then we’ll be married, my Darling Starlight.” Warmly he kissed her cheek and then he let her go. He hated himself for that right then, he should have held on, he should have thrown a tantrum, they should have run away to Helcrax like she had mentioned in their dreaming whispers in their first time tangled up in his bed.

A wedding in the snow, a cabin wrapped in a glistening blanket with peaceful herds of Elk dwelling within, and that was just what he had done and collected as if somehow it could have brought her back to him for those long overdue vows.

Inhaling sharply his head raised as he heard a static click and his son’s voice call out into the silence, “Ada?”

Standing up he huffed and wiped his cheek on his shoulder and mumbled, “Fuck,” Blinking down at his shoulder seeing a spray of dirt on his shoulder, a speck of which got in his eyes, “Least it’s not a splinter.” Crossing to the atv he leaned into the cart grabbing the walkie talkie saying, “Ya, Leg?”

“Everything alright up there?”

“Ya, just got some dirt in my eye. Storm rolling in?”

“Ya, how’d you get dirt in your eye?”

“It was on my shoulder, just give me a few minutes, I’ll drive back.”

“Don’t forget the ax this time, you know how Gimli gets about axes.”

“Oh yes, how could I forget the three days of shouting last year as he dug up a twelve by twenty patch of snow to find it wedged in the cart.” Thranduil let out a laugh blinking away the watery gaze in his eye from the dirt working itself from his eye almost hearing his son laughing remembering his boyfriend’s endearing trait. Fetching the ax he added it to the cart he closed and then straddled the seat on the atv pulling of his work gloves he left in his lap to wipe his cheeks in a settling exhale remembering feeling that body filling light his son and Gimli were wrapped up in. There was no worry of his objecting at all knowing how useless it would be in how enthralling life was when you had that light.

He caught flashes when he could remember you and he could never rob Legolas from that, but he did have to draw the line when Gimli wanted to rearrange his bookshelves to try and ‘repair’ the one crooked shelf after having broken the banister on the front porch somehow after repainting it for him. Somehow the adorably clumsy and repair blind fiery haired Dwarf assumed himself master of all. Yet still he could make a hell of a breakfast smoothie, part of how they had met in a cooking class so Gimli could open his own smoothie shop Legolas loved dreaming of joining with his own dream year round orchard and produce in a special greenhouse he and Thranduil were still designing.

Adding his gloves again a passing glimpse of the ring she had picked for him led to one of the Elk from the herd living on these lands. He fired up the engine and started driving off to the cabin in the distance hearing the rest of the herd entering the clearing now free of the dangerous fallen trees he had cleared much safer for their young ones. They would have come out when he was there had he stayed longer, certainly unafraid of him and even willingly wandering to his cabin, especially their leader who loved to make faces at him through the windows terrifying him early in the morning. Each time making him shake his head and wonder if it was some sign from her to keep some laughter in his days, no doubt another trip coming up by the glint of mischief in the buck’s eye watching him leave.

Parked in the garage he climbed off the atv he switched off and he sighed stretching his legs on the stroll out to the side steps he walked down the snow bank on the concrete half wall beside it to avoid the ice on the steps. Hopping down again he walked to the front door where he froze seeing Gimli racing around in a circle inside the front door, “Oh no, oh no, oh no…”

Peering inside he spotted Legolas grabbing the keys to the bronco saying, “Ada, Tulney said Tony’s loose again.”

Thranduil exhaled and tuned grabbing the flannel coat by the door he wrapped around Gimli’s side halting his circles with a quick grin saying, “Not helping. Back seat, go get comfy,” Gimli nodded and Thranduil turned taking the keys, “I am driving, last time you spooked the moose by driving too close. Come on,” waving his hand for his chuckling son to exit the door he locked behind them in the trot to the bronco in the wrap around driveway.

**

Three inches from a heart attack you sat ignoring the fact that your boyfriend hadn’t noticed you were on your way to an emotional dive, after all this was your first time meeting his family. It had only been two months, and five dates, which was absurdly early but in a sudden answering of his mother’s skype call in the middle of your last date where she demanded you come out to the ski resort their family owned. Clearly the Numenorean mother had no intention of remembering your name as three times in the twenty minute conversation through that dinner.

But with two packed bags you sat struggling to calm, and a lovely silver necklace with a sapphire ended spiral to goad you into coming you couldn’t stop stroking between glances at your shimmering heart shaped ring. A shimmering white heart shaped stone surrounded by a ring of smaller matching stones spreading onto a trio of bands coated in more shimmering white stones making you miss your first love all the more as it matched his with silver antlers around a heart shaped white stone with woven bands. One person’s misfortune left this dazzler and his in a pawn shop well within your price ranges.

Finally a big hand circled yours on your lap and your head turned to peer up at the dark haired dark eyed scruffy chinned man who said, “They’re not gonna eat you,” as the ding sounded for the landing of the private jet arriving at the resort.

“I know. Just, this is a family thing-,”

He waved his free hand, “They invite the help to join us all the time.”

Nodding your head you looked to the window opposite his and mouthed, “The help.” Inhaling sharply you tried to shake off the memory that you had met at your being hired to photograph a shoot for an article on the founder of the company he works at a few months back he got your number from. That phrase was clearly written all over you as you entered the lobby in your non designer jeans and sweater under your thick fur lined jacket that had clearly seen better days. All the same under the lights overhead heads turned when your white gold hair shimmered and those silver flecked purple eyes lit up in taking in all the decorations inside the building you been forced to come to.

Twelve numbers apart, presumably at opposite ends of the same floor, your rooms sounded to be. Honestly you didn’t mind as the mousy haired mother who called you a seventh alternative to your name you forced a grin and watched as she darted off with her son naming a leggy raven haired beauty who toasted her martini to him on her naming. Five minutes was what his father gave you, the blonde who had his eyes locked on a fiery haired Dam across the lobby he left you for.

Pocketing your key you strolled after the others into the reception area for the luncheon planned for the arriving guests. Ordering an orange juice was all you had been given time to do after a bathroom stop when the party kicked on and in the sea of people you were pulled into mingling and then two hours later your arm was tapped.

A peppy blonde aid came into your view forcing a grin onto your face as you stole a glance out at the starry night coming into view in a break of the incoming snow storm, “Mrs Erge wanted to speak to you.”

You nodded, “Oh, okay, sure.” Standing up you felt your finger ease against the bands on your index finger and you followed the blonde in her trot through the crowded room making you mumble in Gondolin Elvish, _“Not a problem, not like I’m busy, being the help and all..”_

She glanced back asking, “Did you say something?” With a wide grin.

Shaking your head you forced a grin yourself, “Sorry, just admiring your earrings.”

A blush coated her cheeks and she turned stroking one of the dangling heart shaped pink earrings, “Aww, thank you! My husband bought them for me.” Turning around she continued on and at the door she whispered before opening it, “Her bark’s worse than her bite.”

You nodded, “Thanks.”

Through the door however you were urged inside and it seemed more like meeting a Doctor for a tumor consultation than meeting the parents of your five time date. Words seemed to blur and holding your grin you listened to her spout on and on about the long line of successful Men from her family and how they all had expectations from their boy.

“So you see, it takes a certain amount of pedigree to join our ranks, and, well, some Elven photographer out sightseeing their way through eternity isn’t what we want for our boy. And he has said he has certain, plans for the future, however any of that future would not be funded by us. Now, Belinda, I am certain your family-,”

A chuckling exhale came from you and her brow inched up as your gaze dropped to your lap then rose back to her parting her lips as she saw the tears in your eyes even as you held your smile growing more stunning as it grew. “Mrs Erge, you have no idea who I am, or even my name you haven’t bothered to remember. One thing I can tell you is I lost everything, and everyone I love when Gondolin was attacked.” Your hands reached up behind your neck and you removed the necklace you set on the table saying, “No fight necessary. Family is everything, and clearly I will never be enough.” Squirming on her seat you cut her off from saying anything by saying, “Especially when your son said I would be welcomed because you often invite the help.” On your feet you turned to the door, “Forgive me for wasting so much of you and your son’s time.”

Through the door you went and straight up to your room you went, a quick stop to pee and you eyed your bags you strode to mumbling, “Screw this. I’d rather sleep with the bears.” Grabbing your duffel you shouldered with your rolling suitcase in your hand. On the way to the door strolling through the lobby you left your key on the unmanned counter and strolled your way right out the front door into the night. A quick tug hat your beanie eased on over your braid you tucked inside your jacket you zipped and clasped after raising your hood. “Come on, you can be my little snow bunny!” You mocked to yourself after the first mile you had walked as the wind picked up.

True as an Elf the cold and snow didn’t trouble you but the skidding feet leaving you wide eyed and bow legging yourself across patches of black ice had you grateful when the snow started to float down. In a soft sigh you mumbled, “Dew Drop would never have done this.” Glancing around you sighed again, “This place would have been perfect.”

** **_Two Days Later_** **

“We have everything? Shop’s gonna be shut down for weeks.” The pair nodded and Thranduil eased closer to his son’s side saying lowly, “You can beat the storm if you’d rather stay with Gran and Gramps so you won’t be stuck with me out here in the middle-,”

Gimli inched up to his other side, “Hup, hup, hup, no, no you are not getting rid of us that easily! Storm or no storm we said we were booked to stay with you for the month and the month we will stay.” He grinned wider, “Besides, I brought Jenga and Life.” He nodded making Thranduil smirk at his son.

Legolas smirked back grabbing Gimli’s hand, “Come on you wild one you. We need to get these supplies back to the house.”

Out to the Bronco they strode while Thranduil once again drew attention to his ring keeping the woman behind the counter from trying to hit on him again after the first time he had moved in and come to stock up. Into the growing snow he smirked and helped to fill up the back Gimli closed as Thranduil eyed the road ahead in his stroll around the bronco to climb in the driver’s seat.

Backing out he smirked catching a glance of Legolas holding Gimli’s gloved hand in the rear view mirror. Shifting gears he turned his gaze back to the road wondering what that speck was in the distance coming from the split in the road. The closer they got the couple in the back leaned forward and Legolas asked, “Is that a person? Walking? There’s nothing around for miles!”

Gimli, “With luggage too. Where the hell could they be going?”

Thranduil said, “Well they can’t be thieves, no one would be foolish enough to rob someone, on foot using suitcases to getaway in this storm.”

Gimli, “By the size of them looks like a Lass. Maybe her car broke down.”

Legolas, “Ada, we can’t just leave her out here, storm’s growing.”

Thranduil, “I know. We can see at least where they’re headed.”

Pulling up beside the stranger he rolled down the window instantly feeling a slap of snow billowing inside through the window, “Car break down?”


	22. If You See Him Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Music of the night”

*.*

Two days. Two days you had been trudging along the now snow coated path and another deep sigh left a huge plume of mist from your lips and you grumbled remembering you still had to the next bend in the road before you could finish off your next lembas bar. One of your habits packing snacks just in case, well it certainly was in case territory now. “Half Vanyar, half bottomless pit.” You nodded, “Great genes. Immune to the cold but not the buffet table,” a groan left you at the growl your stomach let out. Again the wind kicked up and fidgeting your fingers around the strap on your shoulder as you tried to ignore the imaginary sound of a motor you had once again found yourself dreaming up in hopes of it whisking you off to food.

All of a sudden a hood came up on your left and you heard a voice calling out, “Car break down?”

Turning your head you blinked at the change of wind blowing your hood back nearly knocking you back a step, “Lotta wind,” you mumbled.

“Jaqi?” Instantly your eyes snapped up and your mouth fell open as the couple in the back leaned forward looking at the woman who had supposedly died centuries ago.

“Dew Drop?!” In more of a shout than a whisper you had imagined you took in the face of your long lost fiancé who had fled when the war shifted to Doriath leaving you lost to everyone you knew. “What the-,”

Your hand latched onto the frame of the window in another gust of wind as Gimli forced his door open saying, “Here, I got these.”

Collecting your bags while Legolas leaned over the passenger seat to let you inside, “Climb on in.” Carefully you kept hold of the door the wind swung it open and you climbed inside while Gimli carried your bags, closing your door behind you, he carried into the back seat to slide over it into the back before tugging his door shut.

Once inside Thranduil rolled the window up and watched as you reached up to fling the braid tangled around your neck over your back turning to look at Legolas as he asked, “Were you driving?”

You shook your head, “No. I,” you shrugged saying, “You know that ski resort?”

Thranduil, “Please tell me you drove! It’s at least a days drive from here!”

You nodded, “Managed it in two, would have been here by lunch if it wasn’t for that ice, and that, crazy, crazy looking goat.”

His dark brows were knitted together and you couldn’t help but smirk, “You got your dad’s forehead wrinkle.” As his eyes scanned over your face you asked, “He ok?”

Thranduil nodded, “Yes, Naneth too. How-,”

Finishing his sentence you said, “How’d I make it?” He nodded and you wet your lips, “Oddly enough, and, there was this pipe thing, they burst first, so I grabbed my bag, we all poured out in the halls then it just all flipped and tore apart as it rolled, when we tipped over I got sucked under a hard current. Then there was this school of turtles, that bit my bag after I hit my head and helped me out to the surface. Most of us actually made it, a lot of fish, and we washed up on Alqualonde. Mom and Dad made it to Tirion, but they got sick after from the fumes. I got sent to Lindon to the grottos with the other orphaned teens after I heard Doriath was gone.”

Thranduil wet his lips again and you looked to Legolas who said, “Ada, Gran and Gramps evacuated to Lindon too, then went off out here to Greenwood. Met mom out in Rivendell on a trip,” In Thranduil’s anxious nip at his lip Legolas added, “Didn’t last a year, she found an agent who said he could make her famous, just took off when I was two months.”

“Oh-,”

He shook his head to say it wasn’t troubling him anymore, then you looked to Gimli who glanced at Thranduil saying, “You look hungry.”

Thranduil nodded and forced himself forward Shifting gears, “Right, you’ve been out here for days you need to eat.”

Gimli again caught your eye as he said, “We got Jenga, you like Jenga?”

Weakly you chuckled, “Once I get the feeling back in my fingers sure.”

Gimli, “Thought Elves didn’t feel the cold.”

“I don’t, but that goat, sort of rammed my hand pretty good trying to take my bag, not broken just a bad bruise, but still,”

Gimli’s grin spread seeing Thranduil’s fingers tapping on the wheel anxiously making him ask, “So, ski resort?”

“Ya, the, well, that’s another lovely gem of a story. I’m on a fifth date with a guy and he answers a skype call from his mother, who in the twenty minute long call she kept calling me different names and insisted I come along to the family ski resort. Flew out, private jet and all, on which he said it’s fine to bring me they invite the help all the time.”

Gimli, “Ouch.”

Legolas, “Asshole.”

You nodded, “And not four hours after he took off to be shoved into his circle of pedigree exes I get called in to talk to mommy. Who says I lack pedigree and if he stayed with me they would cut him off. And I didn’t feel like staying for two weeks, so, I left my key to my closet of a room and started walking.” In your glance at Thranduil who was struggling not to stare at you, “How’d you get out here?”

He glanced at you quickly then back to the road again to steer through the growing waves of snow as the storm picked up, “Live just a couple miles up the road.”

Legolas, “You’d love it, 800 acres. Full Elk herd too.”

In a squeaking grin from you Thranduil felt himself grin and start to blush when you asked, “Seriously?”

He nodded and stole a glance your way, “Seriously. Got tired of the city. I manage the firm from out here, just spend a few months total at my parents place in the city when they can’t manage without me.”

“Oh, before I forget, I have your Grandad’s compass he used to loan me for trips back. It lost one of the opals on the cover in the mermaid tail, but I managed to get it repaired from the water damage at least.”

He nodded, “Ada will be pleased to hear that when he’s steadied breathing after hearing you’re safe.” Naneth might take a few days to calm.”

Legolas grinned, “Good thing we’ll be snowed in for a week with this storm.” His grin stirred yours out and you looked forward at the storm trying not to worry about all you’d missed in his life. On your lap your fingers folded together to keep from tapping them and Legolas asked cheerfully, “Any kids?”

You glanced back at him and shook your head, “Almost, once.”

Thranduil stole another glance at you and Gimli said, “Oh,”

Shaking your head you said, “Not in the plan for me back then. It’s alright.” Looking at Legolas you asked, “How bout you? You must be..? Four hundred?”

Legolas smirked saying, “No grandbabies for Ada just yet, and close, 385.”

You looked to Gimli and he shook his head, “Me? Nope. Adad barely found out Leg and I are going steady, if I showed up with a pebble Adad would never let me out of the house again.”

Peering down at your locked fingers Thranduil caught your free thumb stroking the top of your index finger making his heart pound even harder wondering in you had your ring he bought you under those gloves of yours. Inching up in your seat you spotted a cabin in the distance. Thranduil caught your gaze saying, “That’s it. One of the few in these mountains.”

Gimli, “You live far?”

“Honeycomb square in Lothlorien.”

Legolas, “Gran works near there! In the glass mural building across from the park.”

“I know that one, used to sketch it all the time when I first moved in.”

Gimli, “You work near there?”

“Um, my dark room is there, it’s my spare room in my loft. Not much, but it works for now and the guys next door keep an eye on the place when I’m traveling for jobs.”

Thranduil, “You know them well?”

“No, but they’re King Amroth’s nephews, they study hard and they prefer to give their guards some room to pace since our places split the East portion of the floor, and I can never finish a tin of cinnamon rolls even with my appetite so we split them and they don’t mind looking out for me in passing.” Down the driveway you turned and softly you whispered, “Wow.”

Easing out Thranduil’s grin and making Legolas say proudly, “Ada spent a good fifty years perfecting the place before we moved in.”

Parked inside the garage you opened the door and eased out feeling like you were ready to split in half but you remained calm and before you could turn around Legolas and Gimli had slid out with your bags saying, “We’ll unload, Ada you can give her the tour!”

Weakly you chuckled and turned seeing Thranduil strolling up to you looking like he was going to hug you, at least until your foot shifted like you were going to step back, in a minor crouch a few inches you said, “I really want a hug but can I use your bathroom?”

Thranduil chuckled in relief and pulled his knitted cap off pointing to the door he guided you to, “Absolutely.” Unlocking the door he watched you fumble your jacket open you shrugged out of leaving it by the second door on the left he pointed to, “Through there.” In your failed bump of the door with your heel he reached out closing it and stood along the wall as the couple carried everything in passing him in his spreading smirk hearing your muttered fumbling with your gloves and belt.

Biting each glove you dropped them to the floor and tugged your belt free and wiggled your pants and jeans down and sighed bending in half nearly as the flood gates burst free as soon as you sat down. With the flush you stood and inhaled deeply buckling your belt again over your secured jeans and walked to look at yourself in the mirror while the water ran. You didn’t look too awful and looking down your eyes snapped straight to your ring as you washed your hands, your right clearly bearing a telling dark bruise on the last two knuckles up over the back of your left hand. To yourself you mumbled, “Damn goat.”

Turning around after drying your hands you bent to pick up your gloves and hat feeling your sweater shifting around you as you stood, behind the door you opened Thranduil’s eyes fell on you in the turn of his head as his grin eased out again. “Thank you,” exiting the doorway you peered up at him and saw his lifting your coat he’d picked up.

“This way. I know Legolas said that it was perfected, but sadly I only have two beds.” He stole a glance at his son passing, “’Someone’ got sick when he was ten and decided to get sick on the guest bed instead of in his toilet. Never had a need to replace it.”

Legolas rolled his eyes, “I had a fever and the shower monkeys lit the toilet on fire. The guest room was the only safe room.” Giggling to yourself you followed him through the tour starting in the living room where he hung your coat up and shrugged out of his. An action luring his eyes to you taking in his much broader defined frame after years of working these lands and building this home making him turn his head to keep himself from ogling your slightly more matured and toned figure. Gimli took to feeding the fireplace as Legolas ensured the crystal lamps were glowing while you eyed the portrait of an Elk over the mantel.

The kitchen was next as it was just to your left and the laundry, pantry, main study along with the bare spare rooms around the music room, then he led you upstairs where his office and the double master bedrooms were located across from Legolas’ study. Guiding you from your inspection of the growing storm outside, “This’ll be your room.”

Smirking to his broad back you followed him inside asking, “You mean out of the two beds I get to bump you out of yours?”

“You’ve walked for two days!” Turning around he caught your brow raised stare at the massive bed he could lay across and still have over a foot to spare with your bags at the foot of it, “I don’t care how much you argue you are taking the bed.”

In your challenging smirk his way one split across his face and you said wiggling your fingers at your sides, “I bet if I hit just the right spot I could win that argument.”

“You are not tickling me out of this.” In his deep inhale looking you over fully he missed your hand lifting to pinch and tug on the sweater over his belly drawing him closer. Tightly you were latched around his torso and his arms folded around you in return pinning you to his chest with his head lowering to nuzzle against yours feeling your hands clutching at the sweater on his back. “I never should have let you go.”

In a whimper you mumbled into his chest, “Ow,” Opening is eyes as you retracted making his eyes scan over you falling to your badly bruised hand your other hand was cradling, “Sorry, damn goat.”

Tenderly his hands cradled yours turning it over in his hands then he said, “We need to coat this in creams and brace this.” You nodded and he said, “First aid kit’s in the laundry.” Smoothing his free hand across your back in guiding you back downstairs.

“You’re not giving up your bed if I have to tackle you onto it.”

Playfully he rumbled back keeping your hand level, “You know how that always ended.”

“You in my skirt?” In your giggle he rolled his eyes chuckling to himself, “Though your hips are a bit too broad to fit most of them now,” making him chuckle again.

Leaning in he rumbled by your ear seeing the couple readying supper, “Trust me, if I want to try them I will find a way.” Calling out he asked, “Little Leaf could you fetch the First Aid kit?” To which he hurried to fetch as you sat down on the couch he led you to. Sitting on the table across from you he thanked Legolas for the kit and let your hand settle on his knee while he found what he needed, when he looked again with bruise cream in hand his lips parted seeing the ring he’d given you on your index finger. Tenderly he swiped a finger of the cream over your bruise, “It doesn’t feel broken, that’s good, still binding would be wise. And preferably no more battling goats.”

“He started it, stubborn jerk.”

“And just what did you get out of it?”

“The satisfaction of scaring off a goat.” Making him chuckle, wetting your lips you said, “Would your landline work still?”

Thranduil nodded, “Yes, you need the phone?”

“I was going to call my neighbors, they like having my current locations in case they need me.”

He couldn’t help but smirk, “They must really love you.”

“I am an excellent neighbor and I’ve done a few family portraits.”

“Ah, there it is, Royal Photographer.” Making you roll your eyes in a weak giggle.

“Nowhere near that official.”

His gaze lowered to your legs as he set the support brace he wrapped around your bandage coated hand. “Do your feet hurt?” Catching your eye he asked, “Hopefully you didn’t kick the goat and break a toe or something.”

You shook your head, “No, they don’t really hurt..”

His brow inched up, “Not really?” Exhaling he said, “Alright, one thing to do,” once he was done with your hand he reached down to grab one of your feet to start unlacing your boots he set aside along with your socks. Tenderly he inspected the pair of them that he began to rub saying, “After dinner I’ll pour you a bath so you can relax,” His eyes darted to yours, “No arguments.”

All at once it washed over him and at your playful jab of, “Well you’ve got me by the foot, how could I possibly argue?” You were here in the home he had built for you, alive and healthy, in tact for the most part and hopefully after dumping your ex two days ago possibly willing to give the both of you another chance.

Legolas chuckled coming up to your side offering you a hot toddy, saying, “To help warm you up.”

Flashing him a grin you accepted it, “Thank you.”

His other hand passed you the phone, “For your neighbors. I’d say we’ve got half an hour maybe for reception.”

Thranduil hummed in, “More like ten, till those darker clouds close in when the wind shifts again.”

Gimli’s head popped in saying, “Let me know when you’re off the phone so I can close the storm shutters.”

You nodded and nipped at your lower lip dialing the number on the adorable phone receiver shaped like a sleeping Elk you raised to your ear. Three rings later and you heard, _“Coltov cookies, how may I direct your call?”_

Smirking to yourself you said, “Hey, it’s Miss Pear from next door,”

_“Ah, how is the ski trip?”_

“Didn’t go as planned, wanted to let you know I’m still up in the mountains.” Stealing a glance at Thranduil, who was staring at your foot pretending not to listen in smirked as you said, “That fiancé I told you about, ran into him and he’s letting me stay with him through a storm,”

Legolas tapped your leg, “You’re welcome as long as you want.”

You nodded and glanced at Thranduil, who peeked up at you with a hopeful glint in his eyes as you heard, _“Might we have the address and record this number for his home?”_

You mouthed for the address and Thranduil answered allowing you to relay it before well wishes were given and the call ended freeing you to hand the phone back to Legolas, who asked, “That’s it?”

You nodded, “That’s it. Really don’t need much. I’m not that special to them.”

Legolas stood, “I beg to differ. No doubt if your ex has said anything they are calling off a full scale search for you. You don’t need to make another call?”

You shook your head, “No, had an assistant few decades back, but we took different paths.”

Gimli hurried out to switch the key in the control box closing the metal shutters outside the house, “She stole from you?”

“In a matter of speaking.”

Legolas, “Why do I detect a matter of boy troubles wafting up?”

Weakly you chuckled saying, “I was in a relationship with her brother, but somehow along the way when I told her I thought I was late something snapped in her, she loved me more than she let on, or more than I cared to admit. Long story short I ended up in the hospital with poisoning, and he left me and took everything not bolted down when I had my miscarriage. Said I was barren and I broke his sister, who was committed to an institution for 200 years.”

Gimli sat on the arm of the couch next to you as the other two sat open mouthed looking at you for a moment as he asked, “So little?”

You looked at him, “They were from Bree, Men, not Elves. They died over three centuries ago.”

Thranduil lowly whispered, “Jaqi-,”

You shook your head, “It had to happen. He was nice, at first, and I was in a weak place after my parents and everything. But then I met Rumil, a friend of mine, he helped me move to Lothlorien, gave me a job in his gallery till I could buy my own camera, loaned me one of his till then too. I’ve grown since then and let it be.”

Gimli popped up at a ding, “Ooh, the roast.”

Trotting away making you smirk and look up at Legolas, “Good choice. I know a thing or two about Dwarves, he must be a stunner.” You looked at the now blushing blonde, “You better hold onto that one, bet he knows the best songs to lull you off to sleep.”

Thranduil chuckled as Legolas nodded and cleared his throat awkwardly before saying, “Ya Gimli, I’ll get some apples!” Darting out of the room making Gilmi glance through the doorway at your giggling self and Thranduil with his shoulders shaking in his struggle not to laugh.

Softly you asked, “Did I say something?”

Thranduil shook his head still chuckling then answered, “No, just still in his bashful phase. Only been together a few months but they’re Ones.” As his hands smoothed up onto your ankle he was rolling and massaging at the same time testing for sprains or weariness before moving up to your lower leg after rolling up your pant leg. A white jagged scar splitting up your left leg parted his lips in feeling it yet when he looked down he shifted your leg to see the side of it eyeing the pink cherry blossoms tattooed around the scar camouflaged to be a twisting cherry tree with a resting elk and his mate under it. “From the crash?”

You nodded, “Used to work kids parties a lot and festivals in the summer, didn’t like scaring the kids, wore tall socks till I could afford it.”

“It’s beautiful.” Slowly working his hands up your leg to massage up to your knee.

“Thank you. You have tattoos?”

Thranduil weakly chuckled saying giving your leg a tap, “I have this, on my right side, though I have a squirrel Legolas asked me to add on the Elk’s antlers. Still have the original you sketched up when we were kids, it’s framed in my office, if you missed it. You just have this one?”

“Just that one.”

Releasing your leg he left propped up on his lap he started to rub your other foot and caught your glance at his ring, “Is the ring pinching you?”

You shook your head, “No.”

Legolas again was back and had a refill for your drink you thanked him for, sharing more about his school goals and sharing more about his and Gimli’s plans before asking, “What are your plans for work now? I mean, any special jobs you want besides portraits for the King?”

Weakly you chuckled then answered, “I actually wanted to have a whole show on the mountains,” widening their grins, “King Amroth actually sounds rather interested in it. Encouraged me to try and get out of the city so he could see what I come up with. Even brought my camera on the trip, got a few pictures from the plane.”

Thranduil all but hummed, “Well there’s plenty to capture out here when the storm lifts. Take as long as you need we can show you the best spots.”

“Sounds like fun.” Grinning up at you he worked up over your second ankle and towards your knee until dinner was called when he shifted to lift you in his arms carrying you to the table. Flat against his chest your unwrapped hand rested feeling his heart pounding between steady breaths as you settled in his arms for the few moments it lasted. A joke from Gimli set it off and as if you were in a dusty old vacation homes the dust coated cloths covering the furniture flew off and somehow the centuries just blew away leaving you both at home. Right in front of the young couple footage from old tapes of who the man that shaped Legolas to adulthood once was, bright and vivacious with a near catty joking banter with you, the woman they understood to have been the one to unlock the true happiness in the sullen Elf. Pain had locked his joy away and barely an hour together and the whole house lit up with laughter and joy flooding from stories of his father and grandparents Legolas had never heard before.

Mid squeaking loud laughter while his father bent over shaking with loud laughter Legolas’ cheeks hurt from smiling so wide in anticipation for the rest of the amusing tale, “And then as always we get caught playing an old album and dancing to it, and of course Oropher come in and joins us learning the moves only to drop back into his signature dance.”

Legolas chuckled, “I never knew Gramps could dance.”

In a stunned crack of your voice from you making Legolas chuckle at your open mouthed stare at Thranduil who was wiping tears from his cheeks peering lovingly up at you, “You have robbed this young man.” Looking to Legolas you said, “Give me a minute,” Shaking your head you mumbled, “For shame.”

Popping up to your feet to trot upstairs only to come back down with a waterproof pack etched with maps parting Thranduil’s lips, “You still have that?”

Playfully smirking at him you replied, “Your Ada bought me this traveler’s pack. The only thing that kept my laptop and films safe in the crash.” Opening it you brought out an old laptop you turned on and played an old video out of thousands you had of you and Thranduil dancing as kids awkwardly to an upbeat song used for pairs dances usually for bumping feet or hands to certain patterns in one footed hops or sways to the tune. From a peek in through the door Oropher and Taule came into view trying to learn your unique dance, “Here it comes,” you said breaking Legolas and Gimli’s giggles. Randomly Oropher’s hip would jut out and throughout the dance he would throw one bump after another only making everyone laugh louder as the video flashed through the years showing more proof of his love of the bump to any beet possible.

A few more old videos were shared from Thranduil’s collection as well with you settled somehow between Thranduil’s legs in front of the couch smoothing your fingertips against his bare arms under his rolled up sleeves that were draped around your middle. Slowly his eyes had drooped shut resting his cheek against your head adoring you in his hold. A yawn from Legolas had the film paused and leaning over Thranduil pulled him closer to kiss his forehead saying, “Off to bed you two. See you at breakfast.” Sluggishly the couple stood and made their way upstairs to their room and your head leaned back to settle on his shoulder, “I’ll draw up your bath.” Shutting the lamps down to a low glow as the fire died out he carried you upstairs where he sat you on the edge of the bed to pick your clothes while he started the tub.

Lowly through the walls you could hear Gimli humming ‘Music of the Night’ making you smirk through hearing Thranduil lighting a series of calming candles in the bathroom meant to lull you into a peaceful state after two days of travel. When he entered the room again his loving smile in looking you over made you snap back to a defensive joke to hide your fear of his possibly being nostalgic and not open to another chance. “So I take it you often get to hear the Music of the Night?”

Rolling his eyes he turned and shut the door severing the music and you giggled at his hummed answer of, “I do not think about their ‘music making’. Up you get.” Scooping you up in his arms, right where he wanted you to stay where he could be certain he couldn’t lose you again. To the tubs edge he set you down then added some oils and herb salts to the bath as you carefully eased your arms through your sleeves to remove your sweater. Your fresh clothes were set on the sink and when you were stripped and helped to clip your hair up you lowered into the tub while he chose his own change of clothes then sat on the edge of the tub to relax with you.

“Feeling better?”

With a nod you replied shifting your wrapped hand on the edge of the tub to ensure it stayed dry, “You can kick me out when you want you know-,” his lips parted, “Sometimes it takes a while for me to find the right thing to capture on film.”

“I never want you to leave,” he said smoothing his hand over your arm keeping his eyes on yours. “You kept the ring?”

You shrugged saying, “Hoped I’d find you eventually. You wouldn’t happen to be single?” You asked timidly and wet your lips when he shook his head.

“I happen to be very much engaged,” the turn of your head was stopped at his looped fingers easing under your chin as he leaned in purring, “It sounds terrible, but I’ve always considered myself engaged to you, and if not for Leg I would hate having slept with another. In a few days, there’s a lovely spot for a picnic, we could make a day of it?”

“Sounds good to me.”

A finger on his neck had him squirm and you smirked asking, “Is that a freckle?”

Chuckling back a “Yes,” he grinned at you laying his hands over your injured arm.

“Since when do you have freckles?! Show me!” Again he chuckled and your other hand grabbed his sweater over his belly you pulled upwards, “Come on, strip.”

“Oh it’s an order now?” He joked back.

Slowly you began to chant, “Strip, strip, strip,” At the third one he rolled his eyes and reached down to tug his sweater off and gave a quick shiver at your fingertips ghosting across his shoulders and pecs. “I love your freckles.” Making him smirk in his lean in again to relax while you soaked, “Do you want to come in?”

Lowly he chuckled and slowly shook his head, “I would love to but I can’t trust myself naked in a tub with you right now.”

You nodded, “I’ll get out then.”

Thranduil smirked saying, “I’ll move the candles,” anything keep himself from ogling you as you dried and dressed. But a few minutes later he saw you seated on the end of the bed with legs tucked up close to you under his bunched up favorite school shirt he had given you to wear to bed until you could be together again.

He approached the bed and up you got onto your feet urging his eyes to shut at the hands sliding up to his shoulders. A tug of his neck brought him down and in your kiss his arms reacted how they used to, picking you up to wrap around him only the inhuman grumble he gave at the rubbering of his knees made you giggle in his fall above you onto the mattress.

No time at all could have blocked him from knowing just what and where to touch or kiss in a rapid descend through the centuries into your loving moments again in the awkward slide up to the pillows in a stripping tangled mess of love lasting through the night until you finally both gave out and held on for dear life until the morning. And every morning after it was more of the same until once the storm had cleared a grey sunrise found you torn from sleep by a loud shriek.

The source of the noise altogether innocent as Legolas approached the room saying, “Hey Gran, thought you should know Ada’s engaged.”

Her and Oropher both shouted out, “What?!” To which he added, “Not that I’m not glad to hear he’s so happy, however, to who?”

Smirking to himself he said, “Well about a week ago out before that storm we saw this woman just walking down the street, had been walking for days. Brought her home and now Ada says they’re engaged.” His smile spread, “Want to say good morning?”

He didn’t give them any chance and there under Thranduil’s shoulder with him half latched around you and slumped over to the side nuzzling into you a clear shot of your face was given after Legolas brushed your curls back. The phone for the video call was turned and both of your eyes jolted open at the shriek bubbling into a big rehashing of all that had been missed and plans to meat for dinner when Thranduil came back with you to Lothlorien for your work thing, but only to help you pack for a much longer stay with him out here on your land to learn the best spot for your small wedding in the spring.


	23. Ring of Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ABBA, The winner takes it all!

Breathing hard you took on the tallest hill in this green tree dominated wonderland you continued running trying to get yourself up this impossible feat once in this century as every year you found yourself here for the yearly race of the best thoroughbreds in Elven lands. You could hear it though, the dually truck usually lapping you on your daily runs and again you had kept to your side of the street yet a ‘whoo’ that came too close for your liking with a gust of wind afterwards had you, in their reaching the top of the hill a moment later, squeaking in pain as your foot slid off the road and into the only dip in the inexplicably tall hill securing your luck for the day. A hard slam into the ground jammed your shoulder and sent you into a triple roll stopping at the fence on your right.

Staring up at the sky you mumbled, “So fucking close…The universe just doesn’t want me to beat this hill…”

Inhaling deeply you winced as you shifted your twisted ankle making your hands rise to press to your watering eyes, you had broken bones before and been fine but it seemed every banged knee, elbow and foot had you almost on the floor with twisted ankles having your life teetering on the end, of which you’ve had millions and lived to whine about to whatever caused the injury. Usually you didn’t have an audience but the sound of dirt shifting and a group of bellows in the distance had your hands lowering to peer up at the Giant Elk peering down at you over the fence. “Hello Handsome.”

A hard exhale from him and his glance at your ankle had you moving to sit up grimacing about the sting in your shoulder you rolled exhaling at the loud pop from it. The sound of an engine died with a truck coming into view with another whimper from you seeing the blonde you had been failing to talk to since you were kids. Your father ran the championship each year and owns the race track meaning you were the one to act as announcer and presenter for the winner’s ring each year, now being far more appealing than adorable as you once were for the racers, with it being more of a challenge for each to see who could catch your number. Sitting up in an ease out his open window your breathing quickened seeing the slightly bubbly partially wet Elf in just jeans turning around to look at you after the herd had motioned over to you. Back inside he slid and made the short drive over to the fence where he parked and hopped over it.

_I don't wanna talk_

_About things we've gone through_

_Though it's hurting me, now it's history_

_I've played all my cards_

_And that's what you've done, too_

_Nothing more to say, no more ace to play_

  
Looking you over the blonde wet his lips and crouched asking, “Are you injured Miss Pear?”

Weakly you chuckled forcing your eyes to remain locked on his and not anywhere else while his breathing steadied and his chiseled body screamed at you to ogle away in the easing of bubbles down his chest. “Just the Douglass brothers in their truck whooing again.”

His brow inched up, “Whooing?”

“You know, like ‘Whoo!’” The last word you added a weak try at a celebratory ‘Whoo’ and he nodded, “And I managed to slip into the only pothole on this damn hill like a twit, twenty feet away! Every time! I can never make it up this hill!”

Unable to help it he smirked and said, “You fell pretty hard then? I’ve seen you sprinting up it before, must have been going fast.”

“Well I wouldn’t have to if those assholes could stop lapping me in their damn truck. I’m close to throwing a rock at them.”

Slowly his eyes slid over you, normally an act from other men making you squirm but the town vet’s son’s inquisitive search for injuries ended with your awkwardly locked ankle you were refusing to move had him shifting on his feet to lower a knee and extend his hands. “May I?”

His eyes locked on yours and you nodded making him look back to your ankle he gently eased his fingers around, “It’s not broken, just my millionth sprain of the year. Usually I can just outwait them and I can get up fine.”

Smirking up at you in his move to cradle your foot he carefully slid the shoe he had unlaced off he replied, “Doesn’t seem bad.”

Your head tilted, “You don’t know me, I’m downright laughable, bumped elbows can have me in tears but I’ve run marathons with breaks easy.”

Making him smirk for a moment before lowering his gaze missing your grimace in his rotating your foot and ankle, “Movement is fine. Not sprained from what I can tell, best to keep the jog tomorrow to a slow trot if you won’t skip a day.”

You nodded reluctantly even though you took the runs to catch glimpses at him in passing. “I guess I can hike instead.” Making him smirk and lower your foot to the ground carefully.

“You look thirsty. I can make you some tea if you wish.”

With a nod you said, “Ok. I’ll,”

Scooting around you his arms looped around your back and legs to lift you as he stood bringing you nearly eye level with the Elk almost grinning at you pleased you weren’t injured badly. Carefully he set you on the fence and turned to grab your shoe he carried in his hop over making you jealous at his nearly seven foot figure to do so with ease while you as a Vanyar stood at 5 ft 9, an adorably petite version of the statuesque women you were forced to grow with hating your place on the screen for standing out. Again you were scooped up and he carried you around to slide with you into the passenger seat he left you on and slid back across the bench to his seat after closing the door for you.

Carefully he turned easing around the Elk and made way back to his three story wood and stone house bearing floor to ceiling windows to let in the best views. “Wow.”

Grinning in a glance over at you he parked saying, “Naneth designed it, her and Ada have an identical one on the other side of the hills closer to town.”

“You prefer living alone?”

Weakly he chuckled, “It was for me and my ex, we, had my son right out of school. They wanted a wedding but she didn’t. Him and I live here.”

“Oh, the other blonde, Leggy, I always thought you were just an overly loving older brother, how old is he?”

Again he chuckled and climbed out strolling around the truck to open your door to scoop you up and lift your shoe, “Nearly 500 now. Hopefully he hasn’t tried to cook anything while I was showering or gone.” The last sentence almost mumbled to himself in concern rather than to you. His voice picked up though as he added in a quick grin to you peering up at him, “Gone to Uni, smartest kid I know but terrible luck with toaster ovens.” Making you giggle to yourself widening his grin.

“Ada, what was wrong with the herd?” You heard from the staircase in his entering through the open door he nudged closed with his foot again and tuned to stride to the stairs peering up at the now wide eyed blonde teen in shorts.

“Douglass brothers ran Miss Pear off the road.” Pulling back he made for the living room as his son hurried down the stairs.

“What?! Should we call the Sheriff?”

Thranduil, “Sheriff is their uncle. Here, elevate this, we’ll ice it to be safe.”

With a sigh you pulled your buzzing phone out of your arm pouch and unlocked it while Legolas helped to prop up your foot. As it was being settled on pillows you answered your brother’s call, “Hey Jelly bean,”

_“Finally make the hill?”_

“Nope, the Douglass brothers lapped me again and ran me off the road, twisted my ankle, the Greenleafs are going to help me ice it and making me tea.” You could hear the sharp inhale and feel the irritation building in his chest.

_“I’m gonna call you back. ADA!!”_

Hanging up the phone you saw the pair of blondes staring wide eyed at the phone they heard the shout through making Legolas’ pursed lips part to say, “Their uncle is the Sheriff but I doubt they can hide from Mr Pear.”

Thranduil sat down on the cushioned bench they put your foot up on and gently wrapped it with a towel and covered that with a bag of frozen strawberries making you smirk at him before he said, “We have to thaw them anyways for dessert.”

You shrugged, “At least I can help you in return,” making him chuckle in Legolas’ pop up.

“I’ll fix the tea!” He said then darted off as your hands eased around the ties on your cut off sweat shorts under your loose tank top in mint green matching the end of your silvery curl filled ponytail that slipped from its bun on your last hill.

Thranduil’s eyes darted from your dazzling purple pair to your shoulder saying, “Mind if I check your arm?”

You shook your head, “Nope.” He nodded and stepped over your legs to sit beside you on the couch with brows furrowed in focus between glances at your familiar antler design necklace of silver antlers around a moonstone for the head you smiled and smoothed your fingers over, “Your Naneth sent it to me after I spotted hers in passing in the markets. I never did get to thank her properly, I do love it. It’s perfect.”

Thranduil grinned saying, “I will tell her.” As he looked to your arm again he said, “It suits you.”

“I always have loved Elk. I’ve seen them run, few times I’ve gotten distracted up the hill watching them run. Some are faster than stallions I’ve seen.”

Thranduil chuckled, “Yes, even the Douglass Mare can’t touch Tuo for speed.”

“I don’t know why you don’t race them then.” Making him look up at you with brows raised, “No rule against it. Plus it’d be nice to not have Luti in the circle again, smug jerk needs to be knocked down.”

Thranduil chuckled again then said, “You have a small scrape, I’ll clean it.”

He stood and went to fetch his kit as Legolas hurried over with a full try making you giggle at the tea, crackers, cheese and sliced fruit. “Didn’t know what you’d like but there’s a bit of everything, and the tea is best straight but we have some of Gran’s honey if you’d like?”

You shook your head with a grin up at him, “No thank you.” After a cautious sip on the hot tea you asked, “Are you training to be a vet too?”

He nodded and wet his lips, “Do you do any hobbies besides the presenting?”

“I, um, actually finished a cosmetology degree. Been trying to work up to asking at Dis’ beauty shop in town, but I don’t have much experience out of school and Dwarves take hair very seriously.”

Legolas chuckled, “No doubt she’ll take you in.”

Slightly uncertain your brows scrunched up and you asked, “Really?”

Legolas, “She said Gorgo is expecting again and needs some time off soon, you could train now and possibly have her seat when she does. We don’t get many new faces to town so I’m certain she’d love to have some fresh stories to hear.”

Slightly relieved you said, “Thank you.” Sipping on the tea again before blurting out, “Ada’s been patient with me figuring out what I wanted to do, and it might have seemed frivolous but I mean, a hairstyle can change your day, for better or worse.”

Legolas nodded and readied to say something only to look at the door in another truck driving up, “Ooh, Gramps.”

Oropher hurried up the porch and Legolas went to talk to him as Thranduil came back and sat beside you eyeing the box he opened and grabbed an alcohol watch he tore the pouch to bringing it out to wipe the scrape gingerly listening to Oropher being informed of it all. Within moments he came in grinning looking you over and joined the conversation spreading their grins as you learned more about their herds that when your brother Jelly Bean had showed up they promised you could come and see any time as you were carried off. For future runs you were told that you had permission to run along the path inside their fence up the hill to keep you safe from any repeats. Gratefully you thanked them and wished them an enjoyable dessert as the truck you were settled into backed up and turned to head home.

.

Jelly Bean, “Are you in pain?”

You shook your head in his third glance over at you, “Just because you have 600 years on me doesn’t make me a baby, you know that.”

“I’ll be damned if it doesn’t! Out of the twelve of us you are the baby and the only girl at that! Nobody hurts you! Ada’s talked to the Sheriff, if he could he’d have barred them from the races but they’ve already paid and we’ve no grounds technically to refund and reject them.”

You shook your head, “Didn’t think so, but at least th fuss might make them leave me alone for a bit.”

Jelly Bean chuckled, “Well, if they try to get close to you the only one in the winner’s circle will be Gummy Bear in a dress.” Making you giggle as he chuckled himself.

*

_The winner takes it all_

_The loser's standing small_

_Beside the victory_

_That's her destiny_

Damn he loved you. For so long he’d wished to talk to you but never felt enough to approach the wealthiest man in Greenwood for his daughter’s courtship as a single father from his teens. Every year him and his son had watched the footage of the winners being interviewed by you and each year the exclusive Champion’s Ball no details had been shared and in passing it was common knowledge you were more than curious as to what it could entail.

With a smirk Legolas approached his father as Oropher helped to prep the strawberries to add to the ice cream maker and the strawberry shortcakes they were going to have. Thranduil glanced down at his awkwardly spreading smirk making him ask, “What is that look for?”

Legolas shook his head, “No reason, just gave Miss Pear your number.” Oropher smiled amusedly turning to the pair watching Thranduil’s brows shoot up and mouth drop, Legolas poked him in the stomach, “She just finished her cosmetology license and was nervous about asking Dis for a place in her shop, I said you might be able to help arrange an introduction.”

Thranduil, “Leg!”

Oropher, “I think that’s a wonderful idea!”

Thranduil, “I don’t even know how I would be able to do that!”

Legolas gave him a hug and peered up at him making his father sigh feeling his messy bun he’d tied up to keep his hair dry shifting forward on his head in doing so, “Come on! She likes you, you like her, just, hint to Dis you might need some help and she’ll lasso her in right off.”

Thranduil, “I am not using Dis-,”

Oropher, “Either way when Dis finds out she wants a place she’ll start plotting, so get in now or be set up yourself.” Making Thranduil sigh again hugging is son back in thought.

*

_I was in your arms_

_Thinking I belonged there_

_I figured it made sense, building me a fence_

_Building me a home_

_Thinking I'd be strong there_

_But I was a fool playing by the rules_

Even Tuo had heard the comments. Year after year the Douglass brothers boasting their stallions and mares were the best and fastest around leading to their milling about the usual racing paths where they would overpass the billion dollar creatures by full body lengths only worsening the insults sent the Greenleaf way. It was that time of year again for antlers to be shed and it only made the bucks all the more furious without their usual weapons to attack those issuing them.

Another drive by had shouts hurled at Thranduil and Tuo saw red, in his return home he readied for bed after a drink only to pause at the newspaper being hurled at him to scatter across the floor revealing the sheets packed with news of all the incoming challengers. There was still time, and in the locking of eyes Thranduil knew it, either with or without him his Elk was going to do something drastic.

*

_The gods may throw a dice_

_Their minds as cold as ice_

_And someone way down here_

_Loses someone dear_

_The winner takes it all (Takes it all)_

_The loser has to fall (Has to fall)_

_It's simple and it's plain (It seems plain)_

_Why should I complain? (Why complain)_

A bell rang from an opening door passed by and through the front door of the town mini spa center Thranduil strolled and for the bright blue hair center between the pink facial center and the nail salon he entered Dis’ domain. He was spotted in his approach and the raucous laughter from inside dwindled to whispers on why he could be coming in making Dis stroll up to the front counter with a grin from relaxing in her own chair.

“Morning Thranduil, come to get a gift certificate for Taule again?”

He shook his head, “No, not here for Naneth today.” Exhaling softly he lowered folding his arms on the counter making the women at the other end of the shop lean in closer. “This is a bit uncomfortable to ask, however, you know Miss Pear?”

“Yes,” her eyes narrowed for a moment, “How is that-,”

Thranduil shook his head, “I saw her yesterday,”

Urgently she cut him off resting her hand on his crossed arms, “How is she?! We heard those Douglass boys ran her off the road!” At that the women all rushed over and Dis said with a smirk, “Heard you were the one to swoop in and save her.”

Thranduil sighed and said, “I wanted to come, because she happened to share she just got her cosmetology license,” Dis’ mouth dropped open excitedly, “And that she was a bit nervous on approaching a Dwarf owned shop for a job. Legolas offered I could, arrange a meeting.”

Did patted his arm again, “Of course we’ll give her a training spot!” The women all agreed nodding as they did, each offering lessons on varying techniques making him nod, and she said, “You send her a message that the peach cobbler is just to die for at Mary’s diner after her pre race run through tomorrow around noon and I’ll just happen to mosie on through and bump into her.”

Thranduil nodded and straightened up, “Thank you.”

In his turn however she asked, “This message, you wouldn’t happen to be passing it on through a text would you?” his head turned to find her smirking, “I was just wondering if you might have gotten the sweet thing’s number or if I might have to do that for you myself?”

Exhaling shortly he replied in his stroll to the door, “Legolas beat you to the punch,” making her squeal giddily and turn to begin plotting ways to arrange the new couple in her eyes she could aid in bringing about.

*

_But tell me, does she kiss_

_Like I used to kiss you?_

_Does it feel the same when she calls your name?_

_Somewhere deep inside_

_You must know I miss you_

_But what can I say? Rules must be obeyed_

Humming to yourself you sat in your window bench seat propping up your foot staring up at the stars after having spent the better part of the evening going over the schedule for this week leading up to the big race you would be in sneakers for to keep your father calm on not damaging your ankle before the big day. Again your fingers smoothed across the cockatoo plushie on your lap your eldest brother Gummy Bear had crochet for you in a pink and grey shade matching your Lyla you lost two years prior still hurting you enough to know you weren’t ready to take up your family’s offer to help you find another. By now she’d have nuzzled on your shoulder after a signaling bout of fake kissing sounds she would make when she wanted to be closer to you.

Out of nowhere she would call your name sweetly whenever you were sad or in pain. Always finding candies in the house she would hide in your bag for pleasant surprises through your day between bits of shredded construction paper you’d given her after she’d see you smile in trying at origami when she was little, all you now kept in a glass box on your desk. You now had a path you had chosen and the fear you had assumed not to be an issue seemed worse as to how you would take the first official step on it.

But again you glanced at your phone reading the message from Thranduil,

**_‘If you’re in the mood for it tomorrow at noon you should give the peach cobbler a try at Mary’s diner.’_ **

To yourself you mumbled, “What is that supposed to mean? Hey the cobbler is good? Or is it a vague offer for a date?” Again you sighed and set the phone down, “Why would he put a specific time though?”

…

_The judges will decide (They decide)_

_The likes of me abide (We abide)_

_Spectators of the show (Of the show)_

_Always staying low (Staying low)_

_The game is on again (On again)_

_A lover or a friend (Or a friend)_

_A big thing or a small (Big or small)_

_The winner takes it all (Takes it all)_

Finally the big day came and after your run in at Mary’s you got your answer as Dis showed up and went from asking about your health before mentioning her emptying spot bringing about a need for a trainee signaling your timid mention of your license. It wasn’t a date but it did lead to a tour of the shop and an appointment for your first day on the job after the races were through.

Racers and horses flooded the town but with it exploded the news that your new friend was going to be giving your idea a chance. There was no terms against it, a fact you reminded your father if, and the giddiness and giggles from you had him smirking in your bounce away seeing your interest in the vet had not waned over the years and had now been given a chance to blossom.

*

_I don't wanna talk_

_If it makes you feel sad_

_And I understand, you've come to shake my hand_

_I apologise_

_If it makes you feel bad_

_Seeing me so tense, no self-confidence_

Strutting straight to his assigned pen Tuo passed the curious horses between sneering riders, owners and onlookers and Thranduil joined his family to finalize the details and brush him down readying the saddle he rarely let Thranduil put on him after decades of considering doing just this. Still being the lone Elk rider in the bunch and the topic of all this gossip made his stomach clench, at least until he heard your voice sound.

“Hello Handsome.”

Turning around sharply his brows shot up only to drop in a grin seeing you stroking Tuo’s snout he nuzzled closer to you. Slowly his eyes took in the halter top dress in mint matching your hair tight till your hips where it playfully spun around you in your habitual thinking twists on your feet. Around Tuo Thranduil stepped and greeted you, “Managed to sneak away, Miss Pear?”

With a giggle you held out an apple you asked, “I saw this and wondered if after the race Tuo can have it?”

Thranduil chuckled saying as Tuo took a bite out of the apple making you giggle, “He can’t resist apples. Should help give him a boost if he has a hope for more after.”

You nodded, “I’ll do my best to sneak some more.” Looking to Tuo you stroked his shout as he finished the apple, “You’re going to show them all, aren’t you handsome? Just how marvelous you are.”

Proudly he chortled in return and you glanced at Thranduil when he spoke, “You know, when I do win, I’ll be getting a ticket to the Champion’s Ball,” His hand patted Tuo’s side in inching closer pretending his heart wasn’t racing faster in doing so, “I know you’ve wanted to see what it’s like. We could go together, if you’re up for it?”

Your name was called and before you hurried away you grinned up at him, “I can’t wait.” Looking to Tuo again you flashed him a wink saying, “See you in the winner’s circle. I’ll keep your roses ready for you.” He chortled again as you stepped away leaving Thranduil grinning madly.

_But you see, the winner takes it all_

_The winner takes it all_

From the inspection of the starting gates led to Thranduil’s hands clenching on the reigns before the starting jolt in their opening. All at once from an even two strides Tuo shot ahead and his steady lead only grew until you and your fight to hold back your giddy giggles ended in Thranduil’s hop down to guide Tuo to the waiting ring of roses to be strung around his neck for the pictures to follow the interview you gave.

_So the winner takes it all_

_And the loser has to fall_

_Throw a dice cold as ice_

_Way down here someone dear_

_Takes it all has to fall_

_It seems plain why complain_

The others all frowned in your choice winning. Gown chosen suiting his choice of tail bearing tux demanded for the occasion. Pictures were taken and into the Ball you had strode. An introductory speech was given and that was the last demanded of Thranduil leaving you and him in your seats. Not much was offered for dancing leaving you all mostly in your seats for small talk between a team of magicians hired for the night and leaning in closer to his side you whispered, “No wonder they don’t brag about the Ball.” Making him chortle and rub his face trying not to laugh any louder and draw attention to you both. Peering up at you he caught your smirk, “I’m in the mood for nachos, you?”

Smirking back he asked, “You ever bowled in a ball gown?” You shook your head with a giggle and his hand claimed yours to cradle, “Then My Lady, you have not lived. Allow me to right this egregious error.” Stealing a peck on your knuckles on the hand he held in your sneaking out.

So off you went and drawing the eye of those in town passing by the tiny bowling alley seemed to gather quite a crowd seeing you both giggle your ways back to giddiness between snacks and games and trips to the attached arcade for tickets and prizes. Nerves seemed to vanish as nudged into the photo booth by a bargain claiming Dam onto his lap you stumbled and in a flash a nose scrunching kiss was captured and soon followed by a more sensible one backed by a wall of roses.


	24. Oh Honey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I thought I could always trust you!”  
> “Don’t! I don’t need to hear more pathetic excuses!”

_Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?_ The question making you smirk as you finished securing the buttons on the cinched vest accenting your bust in a drop maroon shade over a simple cotton blouse dangling over your thighs under tapering panels on the knee length vest covering the tops of your black jeans tucked into knee length boots. You would have worn your leather leggings your friend had bought you but they tugged too tightly over the bruises your step brother had left there. Lastly a grey fur coat with ears on the hood to finish off the look in securing the buttons cinching the jacket above you.

Your friends were waiting and you had to get going so right out your window you went, using the lattices nailed to the wall coated in flowering vines leading up to your father and step mother’s bedroom. He wasn’t all bad, no, to the world he was the best thing since sliced bread and your hindrance on ‘family’ gatherings since the wedding rehearsal dinner when his hand rested on then eased up your thigh receiving a fork inches from his groin triggering an all out war.

It had been two weeks while your parents were away on their honeymoon and you made sure to get gone. Though tonight you had come back for one purpose, legally you were an adult and instead of saving money to finish out your degree living at home with the sixteen year old predator you returned for a single night to finalize your plan. All week you had snuck in while he was off at team practices packing and filling your trunk to the brim and tonight you had your final bag of things to carry to your waiting car down the block.

Two fences and a hedge leap later you patted the head of a guard dog you passed a treat to in exchange for his silence to climb into your car parked in the back driveway to a neighbors’ that was gone for their night shift. It seemed so easy, just tell the truth and things would get better, but like Cassandra being cursed by Hera you were not to be believed by any wine it came to voicing injustices.

But to yourself you recited the phrase from your favorite film the Labyrinth when Sarah calls out to the Goblin King. Not noticing the glint of an icy blue eye in the crystal marbles dangling from your rear view mirror at the glare from a street light you drove under on your way to the costume party you were expected at. Hosted by the friend you would be renting a closet sized room from to share the apartment around it with six other of your friends to save cash.

Straight through a green light you rolled into the intersection only to slam on the breaks as a truck pulling what looked to be sheets of glass somehow appeared out of nowhere. Shattered shards fell around the metal body of the car contorting and warping as your eyes slammed shut. Soft chirping and bright sunlight has you squinting an eye open, looking around you gawked at the lush lands you were in filled with giggling children racing on the street in the distance into the lakeside pasture you were in. From the stump you were seated on you stood and gasps sounded with the curious children racing over to see the person now turning in circles to see where they were.

“Tiny people…” you mumbled to yourself mentally seeing a man tip his hat to you pulling a massive cow, in comparison to him, along to wherever he was going you nodded to in return.

Giggles surrounded you and you looked down flashing a grin exposing your naturally slightly pointed canine teeth and bright smile making an adorably giggly girl ask, “Are you really part wolf?”

“What?” After a moment you reached up, “Oh no, just the hood,” lowering your hood exposing your naturally silver curls with lavender dyed ends in a straightened ponytail now gently curling back in a warming before the usual sudden poof at how humid the air seemed to be getting in contrast to your former fall setting.

A boy asked, “Are you here to see the Wizard?”

After a weak chuckle you said, “Why not? Where is he?”

The girl answered, “Gandalf left last week Juniper! He’s off to Bree.”

You nodded and said, “Bree it is then, thank you.”

They grinned up at you and you tried to turn away only for the boy to tug on the tail of your shirt, “Your bag!”

Looking down you smirked seeing the carpet bag there you nodded and lowered smiling at him, “I’d forget my own head some days of it wasn’t glued on so tight.” Making the children giggle and run off again as you lifted it and started to the road they had come from.

Far behind you though the children together called out, “The other way!” Making you giggle and wave in thanks at them turning to your left instead to follow the road wherever it wandered passing the kind curious tiny people along the way.

***

Holding up the crystal ball set on his throne in the middle of a meeting in Amon Lanc Prince Thranduil wondered just when these three balls would help him find his One. A gift from Annatar of Rivendell and all he got was flashed of a gorgeous woman with absurdly colored hair. Again just now he saw her, this time with furry ears on top of her head and then suddenly shouts around him died as he fell straight to his back in a sunlit field. Groaning in his rise children swarmed him and grinned asking, “Are you here to see the Wizard too?”

“What?”

They pointed to the figure in the distance near the edges of the city, “She is off to see him as well.”

Instantly his lips parted and he shot up, “Thank you!” And darted off after that stranger in hopes it might just be you.

*

Deeply a sigh left you as you eyed the clearing with nothing but a road for miles without end making you mumble, “Years of watching Bambi is warning me against this, but, we have to get to Bree…” stepping out into the open you walked on, and on, and on. A stop for water in a small stream to fill your thermos from your bag however had brought the figure in the distance to your attention.

Continuing on subtle stolen glances back kept bringing their place to your attention quickening your pace. Up a hill you hastened and on the other side you crouched to hide behind the swaying tall grass surrounding the empty road. Soon enough the mysterious blonde cane into view turning in a circle trying to spot you only to shriek and drop a few inches in a readied stance to strike as you popped up behind him saying, “Can I help you?!”

Inhaling steadily his hand rose to smooth over his outer pale blue robe reaching to his knee over silver pants and tall boots with twin long swords strapped to his hips. “Forgive me, My Lady,” his eyes looked you over and in the warm sunlight taking in your features his words unknowingly halted.

“Are you following me?!”

Hastily he cleared his throat and said, “I am also in search of Mithrandir.”

“Mithrandir? Because I’m looking for a Gandalf.”

“Ah, they are one in the same. Hobbits refer to him as Gandalf and Elves as Mithrandir.”

“Hobbits, And Elves…” moving closer to him you shifted on your feet inspecting his ears and gasped, “You’re an Elf!! Like in Middle Earth-,” your expression shifted to a playfully curious smirk in asking, “Am I in Middle Earth?”

With a nod he replied, “Yes, My Lady. We are, and I am, an Elf.”

His eyes switched to your ears you felt with a giddy squeak at their new tips and you turned to keep going in a bouncing giddy quickstep. “So cool! Always wanted to be an Elf, but then again I’m not technically as stoic or graceful or willing to abandon my children like most self Maidens seem to be.”

“You have children?” He asked hurrying after you.

“Hmm? No. Just, in the books you can’t go without seeing six out of ten Elf mothers abandoning their children to certain doom and loneliness in the books.”

“You know of our histories then?”

“Some,” looking up at him you offered your hand, “Jaqi. But everyone calls me Tiny. You are?”

Slightly afraid to admit his title yet Thranduil answered, “Duil.” Eyeing your hand you pulled back to your side with a nod and faced forward again making his brows furrow at the drop of your grin wondering if he had issued you insult. Quietly you strolled until he noticed your hand moving to unbutton your jacket in the growing warm breeze to cool down a bit, “Is that fox fur?”

Peering up at him you shook your head, “No, it’s fake fur,” you said with a giggle, “I doubt I could ever afford a real fur coat like this.”

“Fake fur?”

You nodded and flashed him a weak grin, “It’s really soft, did you want to feel?” You said raising your arm making him side step to keep himself from issuing any unjust contact between you.

His brows furrowed in a steady inhale and he asked, “How can you fake fur?”

It was your turn for your brows to furrow as you answered, “Um, I, don’t really know. I thought it was like sheep’s wool but stripped really finely and woven into stocks of fabric. I know some use Alpaca fur, but those are out of my price range. This one was second hand and a bargain.” Curiously peering down at your still raised arm his hand rose and risking the flash of seeing the creature’s last moments only to feel nothing but the silky soft material so similar to an implacable type of fur it was trying to resemble.

“What animal is it meant to resemble?” He said withdrawing his hand only to have his brows pop up as you raised your hood with wolf ears on it.

“It’s a wolf costume.”

Lowly he repeated, “Wolf costume..”

“Ya, well, the Big Bad Wolf to be exact,” your eyes met his and you explained, “It’s from a children’s story, my friend was throwing a costume party and I ended up in, what must be The Shire. Where’d you come from?”

“Oh, my family was also having, a gathering, of sorts. In the Greater Greenwood.”

“I bet it’s lovely there.” Curiously he looked you over as you grinned to yourself looking ahead over the endless path through a low rumble of thunder building around you explaining the humidity.

“It is. You know much of it?”

You shook your head, “No, the books say more about Rivendell than Lothlorien and Greater Greenwood, mainly,” in a turn of your head you asked, “Is Feanor dead?”

With a nod he answered, “Yes,” his brows furrowed again, “Why do you ask?”

“Trying to place when I am…is this the First Age?”

“Yes, in the birth of it.”

“Hmm, ok, so no big wars yet with Sauron.”

“Sauron?”

“Annatar is his alias, if you know that one.” Making his lips part, “He’s Melkor’s student.”

“My Ada shall have to hear of this when we find Mithrandir.”

“I think we should write to Celebrimbor first.”

Thranduil’s head turned, “Why would we be writing to Curufinion?”

“Because he’s the one that Annatar possesses to create the Rings that destroy Middle Earth.”

Parting his lips again, yet the first drop of rain had his eyes turn upwards at the clouds that had rolled in above you, “We should find shelter…”

Turning around in a circle he tried to find any source of cover only to flinch at the ‘shink’ of your obnoxiously wide umbrella you pulled from your bag and opened at your side then lifted over your heads making him look at it then you in the growing patter of rain overhead. “It’s an umbrella.” His eyes met yours again, “As long as there’s no lightning we should be fine to keep going.”

Looking forward again he watched the path ahead and round you growing wetter while he couldn’t help but giggle to himself mentally at the simple contraption to ease a common problem.

..

Passing the first street sign stating you were leaving the Hobbit territory your eyes snapped to a floating ball when you stopped in your tracks, inside which a voice emanated, “Miss Pear, you have called out to me and I have answered. Welcome to my domain! Answering your plea I have taken your brother as my hostage. Should you regret your choice-,”

“You have Kody?”

Pausing slightly the voice replied, “He is my prisoner! Should you-,”

Grabbing the ball you said, “Keep him, you took him he’s yours!” As hard as you could you hurled the ball away only to watch it shatter against a boulder in the distance and turn to a dark waft of mist fading to nothing stirring screams far off in the distance from the one who had stolen him away.

“Your brother has been taken! How-,”

“I don’t have a brother.” You snapped back at his voice raising at you.

“Then who did that person take?”

“My father remarried a few weeks ago, it was her son.”

“So you have a brother!”

Stopping to look up at him his stomach clenched at your challenging gaze, “What sort of brother tries to put a hand up his older sister’s dress?” That dropped his jaw and he turned to walk with you as you said, “He’s given me twelve bruises since then trying to force me to let him touch me, part of why I was moving out and getting far away from that little predator. Whoever took him can keep him.”

“What did your family do when you told them of his actions?”

“They didn’t believe me.”

“Why would you falsify-,”

With a sigh you said, “I don’t know, ever since I was a kid I’d be on the wrong end of situations often and when I tried to speak up no one believed me. Not until someone else spoke up. I don’t lie,” you wet your lips then said, “You wouldn’t know the story, but we have stories about beings, sort of like the Valar,” he nodded in your eyes meeting his, “Zeus would be like your Manwe, top of the gods under Eru, and his wife Hera, well she like to give curses, and one of them was Cassandra, she was a seer and she was cursed that none would believe her. The world’s full of stories like that, cursed families, maybe was cursed, who knows, magic was so far from common knowledge in my time compared to when they were handed out so it’s all left explained to luck I guess.”

“Was your father believed?”

“I think it was from my Mom. She died when I was little, he’s always been successful, so unless he struck a deal that I get his bad luck so he gets good luck.”

“Why would a parent do that? Force suffering on their children?”

Peering up at him you couldn’t help but grin saying, “I envy you, for not knowing a world like mine. I am glad to be here now though. Hopefully I can stay and Gandalf won’t try to send me back.” Looking forward again his heart sank wondering just what sort of family you had come from and in the silence his mind wandered to just what sort of injuries were hidden under your layers.

…

Bree soon grew in the distance as the rains dwindles allowing you to fold up your umbrella again you slid back into your bag. Into the Prancing Pony you led the way and Mr Butterbur had no clue when the Wizard would be back again leading to your stop to eat, an offer from Duil, to fund before you continued on again in an agreed goal of Rivendell. Horses sounded after you however when you had left the town borders. Subtly your hand dipped into your bag remembering the pair of guys in the dining hall that trailed your path out of town.

Up to your side the pair rode and heavily hopped down with crossbows extended both at you. The pair of them smirked and the larger of the two growled out, “Hand over your goods.”

The other said noting Duil’s swords, “And no thoughts on drawing those blades or the Lady dies.”

Without looking at Duil you asked, “Can you speak to horses?”

Duil looked at you, “Yes, all Elves can.”

“Would you tell them to stand upwind a few feet, I would hate to hurt them, you as well.”

Duil looked you over as the men notched their crossbows and he passed on your request in Quenya then moved around your back as you raised the canister in your hand and in a steady sweep over the pair an orange mist exploded and they collapsed howling in pain cursing at you. Pocketing the canister you approached them nudging the crossbows out of their reach then you turned to Duil and the confused horses saying, “Bear mace. Like liquid fire. Made to scare off bears but also useful for the common thug.”

Nearing the horses you smiled at the tan dappled pair saying, “You are so beautiful. How would you like to go to Rivendell?”

Their ears popped up in glee and Duil asked, “Are you considering stealing their horses?”

“You mean the Men who just tried to kill me for my bag? Yup, I’m freeing their horses from their ignorance.” Strolling around to the side of the shorter of the two you reached up to grip the knot on the saddle and eased your foot in the stirrup to climb up on and look down mumbling, “Been a long time since I’ve ridden a horse…”

Settling your bag in your lap a gentle shift of the reigns had the horse turning and you looked at Duil who rolled his eyes and joined you on the second horse, “Let us fly before their corpses are discovered.”

A giggle from you in the gallop away had him looking at you only to hear, “Mace only lasts ten minutes at the most.”

“What?”

“You don’t want to kill the bears or the idiots, just get time to get away.”

He looked forward again uncertain what aspect made him more upset, the need for the product or the fact that he was now a horse thief even if he turned around to give them back. “My Ada is never to know the manner of claiming these creatures.”

Stroking the neck of yours you said, “I asked if they wished to go to Rivendell, just say we were heading the same way and they happened to be saddled.”

“That will never be believed!” You giggled again and he asked, “What is so amusing about this?!”

“Nothing, absolutely nothing.” After another giggle you asked, “How far do you think Rivendell is?”

“Roughly a month on foot, few weeks at least.”

..

Weathertop was the first stop for your night, right up to the still in tact lookout for the Western lands of Arnor you both approached and after a second flaming glass orb arrived and was destroyed you dismounted at a pair of guards nearing you. “Who dares approach the Western Keep of the King?”

Before Thranduil could speak you said, “Hi, I’m Tiny, we’re on our way to Rivendell. I was wondering if we might wait out the rain tonight?”

The guard answered back, “This is not a lodging for commoners.”

“Ok, um, what about our horses? I have a tent, but they clearly can’t fit. Could you possibly allow them in your stables tonight?” A wide grin from you came before a confusing, “Please?”

Leaving the pair glancing from Thranduil to your horses and sigh, the first guard stated, “We will house your steeds, for the night alone, My Lady.”

The second guard said, “Keep your tent off our borders.” You nodded then turned asking where they ended and to a band of bushes they pointed and you grinned again and turned to walk off as they accepted the reigns of the horses Duil informed why they were being separated from you.

Near the bushes the pair kept glancing over curious about your tent, curious himself Thranduil aided in the holding of the supporting staffs before his brows popped up inspecting the giant onion like white tent complete with rain tarp tethered down. Standing up you looked to Duil saying, “I know it doesn’t look that big, but inside,”

“Why would you purchase a tent resembling an onion?”

You looked at him then back to the tent and asked, “Why not?” And lowered to duck inside the front flap giving him a moment to rub his forehead then glance at the stunned guards before he turned to peer inside the front flap spotting you laying out two fluffy sleeping bags he looked over slightly panicked.

“I will sleep outside tonight.”

Sitting up on your knees and you replied, “Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed to sleep in an onion tent.”

“This has nothing to do with the onion! I cannot share quarters with you!”

With a nod you said after a clap of thunder made him tremble and you smirk, “Well, the tent is waterproof where you are not,”

“I am not afraid of the rain.”

“Oh get in the tent!”

“I cannot!”

Lifting a brow you said, “You are getting in this tent or I am going to scream, and keep screaming until you do.”

“You cannot-,” At a sharp inhale from you he frog hopped inside through the round opening to sit down wide eyed at you as you flashed him a grin, “Satisfied?”

You nodded and dug in your bag for your pop up stove and using more of your water to heat up the jarred veggies you had coated in seasonings combined with and noodles you had Thranduil watched you carefully and accepted the bowl and spoon you offered him. “Thank you,” Your thanks in place for his made his eyes snap back to you with his brows up again in shock, “If you’re afraid of being alone with me I promise not to hurt you, and with the sleeping bags there won’t be any snuggling issues.”

“Sleeping, bags?”

Setting down your bowl you tugged your bag closer and showed him how the zipper turned it into a sort of cocoon easing something close to a compromise instigated grin across his lips, “See, you have yours and I have mine. No funny business. Though I have a comforter or two if it isn’t warm enough.”

“Comforter?”

“Oh honey,” you sighed out only making his head tilt slightly, “A comforter is a decorative thick warm blanket to cover the other sheets on your bed.”

“Ah. Elves are not troubled by the cold normally.”

You nodded saying, “Well, I’ll pull a spare out just in case you change your mind.”

.

Sleeping once the cooking and eating utensils were put away was next, removing your boots you closed the tent door and secured the lock on the zippers you showed Duil how to work then moved to sit inside your sleeping bag. Shrugging out of your coat the reveal of the figure hugging clothes had Duil swallowing hard though within moments you laid a purple comforter over your feet and laid back zipping and covering up with a comfortable sigh after your wiggle onto your belly to nuzzle your head into a pillow from your bag. On his back he eventually settled and closed his eyes when your breathing deepened, silently hoping that sharing quarters unchaperoned could be taken well once all details were thoroughly explained. True you would be wed one day in the future when all priorities were met but he hoped not to hasten things too quickly and ruin the reputation of your union after having been swayed into taking a consort not two centuries past giving him a son, the birth of whom withered his mother to an early grave as it came suddenly in an attack on the edges of their borders.

.

All the way to another open clearing two weeks later an eerie chill had you up early and in a cautious stroll to the nearby stream your head swiveled hearing someone around you. Tightly your throat was gripped and a broken shriek from you ended in your back being slammed into the trunk of a tree. Tighter the grip grew until a hand reached out to cover your eyes followed by a warm splash of liquid coating your lower half.

Shakily you inhaled after a harsh cough ended with Duil’s hand on your other shoulder cluing you in he was not alone. “Keep your eyes closed, Miss Pear. We will dispose of this filth.”

Weakly you asked, “On his neck, is there a c shaped red spot?”

Thranduil, “C shaped?” Holding up your hand you made a C and he replied, “This was your brother that attacked you?”

“If there’s a C on his neck it was.” Over his body Thranduil patted Glorfindel’s shoulder then they and the twin covering your eyes peering at his brother who was looking down at the now apparently young for his size teen whose body faded to nothing. Another failed plan spurring up screams in the distance and the agitated path to drawing up a new plan for his schemes. Though back in your old world the teen awoke and was instantly infuriated and in search of you to complete his dreamed strike out against you.

Eyes uncovered you silently went back to the tent to pack up while the Elves discussed what had happened a few moments prior. It took only a few moments in sharing what he had done to you in the past for the trio to be seething with anger as to who they had saved you from. Quietly the tent fell and you stood peering over at the four as Glorfindel said, “Prince Thranduil, your Ada will be relieved to know you are safe, he has had us scouring our lands for any sign of you.”

“Prince Thranduil,” you stood with a hip cocked making him sigh at the shake of your head and turn lowering your crossed arms.

Looking to the trio he stated, “I was not exactly forthcoming of my title to Miss Pear upon our introductions.”

To yourself you mumbled folding the tent up making the twins smirk in amusement, “Exactly forthcoming, no title at all Mr Duil.”

.

Atop your steeds between the trio you rode the final stretch to Rivendell, then chatting around you while Thranduil kept peering at you longingly for your forgiveness. His lips parted and in a far from threatening tone you said, “Don’t! I don’t need more pathetic excuses!” Already he could spot the few usual markers of your use of ‘sarcasm’ and it eased his mind knowing you were in a form of jest with him, even if you were a bit upset at the moment for the initial half truth. “I thought I could always trust you!”

By chance Elrond was already out in a trip to Lothlorien so you were stuck waiting for word on what to do next. Odd ruffling sounds brought the newly discovered Prince into the doorway of the open dining area you were sitting in to remain out of the way for the workers in the kingdom all staring at your every moment.

It seemed wishes for a better look had him in the doorway watching on as you shuffled your deck of cards once again. Breaking the silence as you set up another game of Solitaire he asked, “Are you testing the fates’ path for you with your cards?”

“No. Just a game of Solitaire.” For the remainder stack if cards you swiped your hand fanning them out, “Pick a card.”

His brow inched up and Elladhan slid to his side choosing for him making you smirk asking, “Is it the three of hearts?”

Ellohrir shook his head with a chuckle before you claimed the card and turned it to peek at it reading the seven of clubs, “Hmm..” Turning it back to them your other hand rose to flick the card making them gasp seeing it now reading the four of spades. “How about now? Three of hearts?”

Again they shook their heads looking at you and the card in confused awe as you clicked your tongue then leaned to your right looking Thranduil over, “You’ve got something-,” Reaching out his ear twitched as your finger grazed his hair hanging over his ear before he heard a flick of paper sound and your hand drew back making their mouths drop open as you held the three of hearts in your hand, “There it is. Trying to spoil my tricks by hiding the card in your ear, young Prince.” Shaking you head he couldn’t help but chuckle a you said, “For shame.” Teasingly.

Glorfindel approached saying, “You are a Wizard then.”

You looked up at him shaking your head, “Nope, all slight of hand,” you said flicking the card from one hand to the other changing it to the seven of clubs again. “My father is a magician, I used to be his assistant. All slight of hand and misdirection for amusement of crowds. Easy to learn with practice. Nothing special.”

Your eyes lowered to put the cards back into the remainder deck you shuffled again before Thranduil said, “You are unfathomably special.” Making you glance up at him before he shifted to learn more on this card game of yours hoping to get back to your same joking, relaxed relationship.


	25. Oh Honey Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Spare me your pity, I don’t need it”  
> “You are confusing my pity with love.”

Out in the cover of nightfall as your patience waned you gripped the saddle to your horse you raised up to your horses’ back over the sheet you laid down to cushion the heavy saddle. Carefully you secured the straps and moved to collect the bridle that when you turned to it the leather and metal bindings sat in Thranduil’s palm. “Running away?”

“I am not running.”

Thranduil nodded as you accepted the bridle you eased over your steed’s face, “Slinking away under the cover of the moon and stars, I would call that running.”

With a sigh you replied, “I can’t just wait here for Elrond to fancy a trip home again.”

Thranduil, “You have been through a harrowing ordeal not two days past-,”

Sharply you turned to him with a glare, “Spare me your pity, I don’t need it. He wasn’t my brother, just another male assuming he had any form of ownership over someone he assumed weaker than him! He attacked me, one of you four killed him protecting me. I’m not angry, I’m not mourning, I am determined to see the end of this!”

Moving closer to you his hand covered yours as you slung the reigns over the not of the saddle you had moved to try and climb onto, “You are confusing my pity with love.” In confusion your eyes narrowed in the tilt of your head up at him making him shake his head, “That is not what I meant to say.”

“Good, because I would never assume you loved me.” You scoffed back defensively.

Furrowing his brows he replied, “I love you.”

“You don’t know me!” You replied hastily making him huff this time as you stepped up into your stirrup and climbed up on the saddle making him reach over and grip the base of the reigns at your steed’s head while he walked around it to grab the reigns on his already saddled steed you hadn’t noticed.

“I know you far better than you presume others capable from a distance you defend.” Uncertain, the glance from you over his expression made him wet his lips and he added, “Also you have a great love for his world and the history it holds, of which I am a part, so in some minute way you have a love for me in return.” Up onto his own saddle he climbed after releasing your reigns and turned his head to catch your eye, “Not just these horses but you have stolen my heart as well.” In a confirming pat that his satchel of supplies he packed was still behind him he says, “We began this journey together and Tulkas himself could not part me from aiding its end at your side.”

Playfully you respond, “You do realize you have a bit of an addiction to over dramatize things, don’t you?”

“Coming from the woman who pretends to find no shock in her own absurd actions I take that as a complementation of our settling into a courtship.”

“I am certain your wife will have something to say about that.” Making his mouth fall open readying to clarify your mistake.

“That is not all you are intending on taking with you, is it?” Your head turned seeing Glorfindel, also with his saddled steed surrounded by the twins, all with ample supplies, “You would surely starve, My Lady.”

Rolling your eyes you said, “Just lead the way to Lothlorien before the whole city saddles up, My Lord.”

Smirking at you he chuckled and Ellohrir stated, “No need for such formalities,” Turning with the two around him to guide the way.

Elladan, “We are to spend a great deal of weeks together in crossing the Misty Mountain Pass.”

Shaking your head you followed the trio only to hear Thranduil say, “I believe that was sarcasm,” the details of which he broke into leading you grateful of the steady trot getting you closer to stopping Celebrimbor from doing something impossibly foolish and damning for the whole world you had fallen into.

.

Closer and closer you grew and in your first night up on the Mountain Pass you sat staring up at the stars while the trio set up their bedrolls inside the onion tent, a calming addition for Thranduil at spending nights with you again. Straight to your side he strode and sat down keeping his gaze on you and not the stars shining so brightly they reflected in your eyes and coated you in a gentle glow under your wolf jacket. Lowly he stated, “I have never taken a Wife.”

Turning your head you looked him over saying, “But then what about your son, Legolas?”

“How do you know of this?” He asked in a tone more of adoring wonder as to how you knew of his child without any having stated him having one. Your silent stare at him had him answering, “Two centuries past I was coerced into taking a Consort, who not ten years past birthed my son shockingly early due to unforeseen strain and faded not long after his first breath.”

“Unforeseen strain?”

“Our borders were breached and Lattea was startled by the battle horns sounding so early while she slept. There was no danger but such a sudden shock in so delicate a time ended badly.”

“Consort, so, she was your mistress?”

Wetting his lips his eyes darted from yours in thought then back again, “It is, in this tongue difficult to explain. We marry once, and in hopes of an heir Nobles are able to take Consorts until we find out Ones Eru has destined for us to spend eternity with. It is merely a physical agreement to aid in a child.”

“Did you love her?”

“No.”

“You knew her for centuries, slept with her, what, hundreds of times-,”

“Fifteen.”

“Fi-, fifteen?”

“Yes, Elleths have certain ovulation cycles, and upon those occasions I assure you it was nothing amorous. Plainly cordial and intent upon one purpose. Between those occasions our contact was limited to withhold any bonds of affections.”

“You didn’t love her, but you slept with her, and now you say you love me, for what reason?”

“What has reason to do with love?”

“I mean, what are you expecting in return?”

“I expect your happiness and safety in return. What else could I expect? This is no bargain, there is no contract, no terms, not until a union would be agreed upon and only then verbal between us and the Valar to bind us as one in matrimony, should I win your affections in return.” For a moment his eyes narrowed in the slight blush on your cheeks before you looked forward settling your chin on your knees tucked up under your coat. “Why would you presume intended to gain from my love for you?”

“I don’t know! I’ve never had anyone tell me they love me before.” Making his lips begin to part at the worry in your tone, “I only met you a few weeks ago, and you’re a Prince, with a son and a family no doubt expecting great things of the person you choose. What could I-,”

Hastily he moved to crouch in front of you silencing you as his eyes locked on yours with his hands settling on your boot covered ankles, “Do not doubt yourself, or your greatness in my eyes. You may yet see it for yourself, however my parents will adore you, as will Legolas in his growth, he is still a toddler and quick to love yet even had he been older he would treasure his bond with you.” Just barely your lips parted and he said, “I will love you for all that you are, were and ever could grow to be. Title or no title-.” Without pause you leaned forward and your lips found his silencing him.

Pulling back you looked over his stunned expression and asked, “Was I not supposed to do that? I though you wanted me to…” Hastily your legs pulled out of your jacket and you stood up saying, “Never mind, forget I did.”

Quietly you hurried back to the tent and tugged out of your boots and burrowed inside your sleeping bag pulling the comforter over your head making the three look from you to Thranduil in the front flap still blushing from your kiss who eased his sleeping bag closer to yours after sealing the tent flap. Cross legged on his sleeping bag he sat staring at your pile of blankets as you slowly drifted off after a fight not to cry from embarrassment. Through the night he sat up choosing to take watch while the others chose to let him wait on explaining what had happened between you until morning.

But the explanation didn’t come as he was still waiting on you leading to their stepping out to start on breakfast, the first sign of stirring from you had him inching closer to you in anticipation. Half unaware of where you were or even what had happened in the past week you emerged from your warm layers brushing the blankets down to your middle lazily easing your crossed legs out into the cool air. A turn of your head had your eyes flinch wider as it all came back to you in Thranduil’s hands looping around your legs and back pulling you onto his lap for his lips to crash into yours. For a few brief moments he poured all his pent up emotions and yearning to do this very thing.

Lost to a whirling derby of your thoughts from the sudden bout of physical display of affection your eyes slowly cracked open in the tap of his lips to your cheek just by your ear. Lowly he hummed sweetly by your ear, “Elven courtship is rather restrictive. Kindly forgive my restraint in displaying my affections publicly until our courtship is secured with my parents.”

Sheepishly you replied just above a whisper, “So, it’s a secret then?”

His head drew back and sweetly again his lips met yours, “Not a secret, merely more emotional than physically demonstrated. You understand?”

“Not really, but I suppose I’ll have to get used to not understanding things.” In his gentle brush of a strand of your curls from your face to behind your ear you glanced out the tent flap seeing one twin shove the other out of sight in his own dive leaving Glorfindel staring straight up turning in a circle before walking out of sight making you sigh. “I suppose they’ll be sworn to secrecy then?”

When you looked to Thranduil again he kissed your cheek and helped you out of his lap saying, “No swearing necessary.” He glanced at the empty view outside adding, “I will aid them in preparing breakfast and allow you to ready for the day, my Love.” A ghost of a smile crossed his lips in a rise to join the others closing the flap behind him so you could change.

…

From snow coated rocky paths towards a distant patch of green you traveled and continued off into the wide green ahead. A glance back at you in the nearing of the great forest you had been aiming for revealed a glint of silver between your fingers, upon closer inspection it was a coin easing over, between and under your fingers in a loop until the horses came to a halt on the forest’s edge. Palming the coin you glanced at the men, Ellohrir took the task of explaining, “We continue on foot from here.”

“Oh, okay…seems to defeat the speed aspect of the mission.” You mumbled in swinging your leg back to climb down. Stroking the neck of your horse you let the reigns fall slack and looked ahead to the winding path between mountains of trees stretching on for what seemed forever. A change in the foliage had you peering upwards as your hand released hold of the leather straps in your wandering path off to the side in absently trailing the path of a glowing butterfly flock. Lowering your gave however had a shriek escaping you in your stumble backwards straight into Glorfindel’s chest in his try to guide you back to the right path. Wide eyed you stared at the equally as startled blonde staring at you.

Elladan hopped over a root asking, “Is everything alright, My Lady?”

“I, just, wandered nearly into this guy.” Looking him over you asked, “You wouldn’t happen to be Haldir?” The name made his brows knit together in confusion for all else you said.

Glorfindel stated, “I do not believe he speaks the common tongue, My Lady.”

“Orophin, perhaps?” Another tensing of his brows making you tap your chest saying, “Tiny,” pointing at him you asked, “Rumil Halmirion?” With a nod he looked you over and you glanced around and pointed to your right, “Lothlorien?”

Glorfindel, “It is not spoken of by that name here.”

“Oh, no, I know it, the um, Lori-, Lori-something-land?” Making your group chuckle, “Though Haldir called it, Caras, something…”

In Elvish Glorfindel spoke to the blonde who bowed his head and looked you over raising his flat hand in return to your quick wave in your being led aside back to the original path. Peering over at you Thranduil took your side offering you the reigns and said, “Careful, there are many safe holds in these lands to keep strangers out.”

“Even if I’m traveling with you?”

Glorfindel chuckled saying, “No telling who you might be. The Prince has been taken as missing, you could be holding him ransom.”

“Oh yes, because I’m some mountain sized dragon able to hypnotize others to do my bidding.”

Ellohrir looked to you then to Thranduil, “Sarcasm!” Pleased at his having caught the hints making you giggle in their ripple of pleased grins.

Elladan stated, “Naneth will love you. Our grandparents too.”

“Hmm, I’m not overly Galadriel, in the books she takes a dark turn…”

The twins’ brows knitted together asking, “Galadriel?”

“Finarfin’s daughter?”

Thranduil, “Ah, as far as we have recorded those from that line attempting to flee Valinor fell in turning to defend their mother’s kin in Teleri, falling to those from their father’s kin.”

Looking up at the twins you asked, “Who married Celeborn then?” Their wide grins were your only answer until another band of guards appeared and showed you through the gates. Under the massive treetop city you were led to the inner ring where you sighed and started the endless stairs biting back the pain in your left knee until you got about a third of the way and froze.

Gently Thranduil’s hand settled on your shoulder, “Is something wrong?”

Glancing back at him you said, “Just my knee. Never too good for more than four flights of stairs.” Looking down he saw your hand pressing on the painfully throbbing muscle supposedly tasked for keeping your knee in socket that had always failed to do so causing it to shift in and out as you walked, mostly painless until you ran or took the stairs after a bad bike accident when you were little.

Easing around you Thranduil lowered helping you up onto his back parting the lips of the guards as he said, “Forgive me for not noticing your pain sooner.” Rising up again he continued on ignoring the stares of the others while keeping firm hold of your thighs at his sides while your arms draped around his shoulders.

Softly you asked by his ear, “I take it piggy back rides are on the lists of unacceptable behavior?”

In a smirking glance at you he hummed back, “You have an injury, they can live with witnessing my act of protection.”

Resting your chin on is shoulder you eyed the stairs above asking, “How can you stand all the stairs?”

Thranduil chuckled as Glorfindel stated, “It tends to deter unwanted guests.”

“If you’re unfriendly just post a sign, ‘Invitations Only’ or something like that.” Making them chuckle again. But up to the main greeting balcony you were led and crouching again Thranduil helped you down and grinned taking your side again for the stroll after the guards.

King Amroth stood before you with Queen Nimrodel at his side greeting the others kindly until a guard stepped aside and your gaze lowered again parting the Queen’s lips and you were approached by her as she asked, “How have you come here?”

“I, um, see, I was moving and then I sort of just got in this accident and, blinked and I was in the Shire.” In her eyes looking your face over and your purple ended silvery curled ponytail you added, “I need to speak to Celebrimbor. It’s urgent.”

In a step back she said, “There is another you must speak to first.”

“But-,” Ignoring you she led the way up the short set of steps into a series of winding walkways leading to what sounded like a party ending with gasps and the twins being pulled towards their elated parents. Though the world seemed to fall silent as you spotted a familiar face across the room smiling as soon as it spotted you in your whisper of, “Mom?”


	26. Oh Honey Pt 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 28 –   
> …  
> “Don’t shut me out.”  
> “Do you really think I could ever replace you?”  
> “I don’t need a hero, I need a husband.”  
> Day 29  
> “I can’t just sit by and do nothing, when you’re suffering so much”

“Mom?” Across the room your mother, identical to you in all but her pitch black curls and pale green eyes had your lips parting only to shut in her tight hug she wrapped you in, “I don’t understand…”

Into your hair she murmured feeling the eyes of the others shifting to you both, “Times were hard, Melkor was growing in strength and I needed to hide you so my cousin took you to that other realm.”

“Cousin?” She nodded, “But he-,”

“I know, it is confusing, however, you came here with a mission, I know that look little one.”

“I-,” shifting on your feet you inhaled and your brows furrowed in confusion, “Then who’s my father?”

Stepping aside she motioned to Celeborn, who stepped forward with a grin widening in saying, “You look every bit I had imagined you to grow.”

“But, your eyes aren’t purple either…”

“No, but my father’s were, and his hair was silver with curls resembling yours.”

Extending a finger at him your mouth opened then closed before you said to the twins you turned to, “Did you know about this?”

They shook their heads and you looked to Celebrian, your younger sister, by your mother’s admission. A few moments you spoke with Celeborn asking questions about his life to clarify the ‘facts’ about him you knew deepening his grin eventually making you crash into his chest stealing a hug to hold him back from the edge of tears.

Thranduil was next in being informed that his parents were worried while Celeborn and Celebrian admired the purple in your hair. Though your mind snapped back when Thranduil gave you a pointed glance and you said, “Wait! We need to talk to Celebrimbor!”

King Amroth stated, “You will find him down in our forges with our other smiths, they are completing a task Lord Annatar has set them on.”

“Oh shit,” turning around you rushed back for the staircase muttering with the Lords chasing after you, “Shit, shit, shit!” All the way down you raced on the balls of your feet down the stairs continuing to curse through your pain until you turned in a half circle looking around for any clue as for where to go.

Up on the steps Elladan called out, “That way, just past the blue balconies.” With a nod from you Thranduil leapt from the remaining turn of steps to land and dart after you. Straight into the Forges you rushed with curled ponytail falling over your chest in the hasty stop as you looked over the band of apron wearing shirtless Elves with hair tied back. Panting softly you stepped closer inwards looking over the unfazed Elves and you called out, “Celebrimbor?”

Moving even closer you caught the raised head and curious glance of a golden haired blonde wondering just who dared to use his name so informally in public. Though your appearance parted his lips recognizing your face at once the closer you drew lifting the head of those in your path as Thranduil came to a stop in the doorway surprised you had beat him with your painful knee injury now clearly adding a slight limp to your gait.

Right up to him you strode asking, “You haven’t made any rings have you?”

His eyes looked you over at a loss for what you said and you huffed turning to Thranduil, who received a bow of the smith’s head then listened to his translation giving your brows a slight furrow. “Have you forged any rings for Annatar lately?”

Celebrimbor answered looking between you both, “We completed the batch yesterday. The Lord is preparing to deliver them to the Kings of Men and Dwarves later today.”

Thranduil translated every word and in a muffled groan you turned to cover your face in a swipe of your hand curling an arm around your middle and our other arm across your chest, “So he’s not here?” You glanced at Thranduil, “In this room I mean?” Thranduil glanced around and shook his head and you huffed again and flashed a grin at Celebrimbor asking, “Where does he live then?”

Thranduil translated and Celebrimbor answered, _“I cannot in good faith give out the address of the Lord for-,”_

Thranduil was translating word for word and you answered cutting him off, “And I cannot in good faith let you commit suicide for that Lord, who now has what he wants and won’t hesitate to turn you into his own personal bow and arrow target dummy just because you imagine he thinks of you as anything more than a means to an end!” Turning on your heel you said, “I will knock on every door if I have to find that cowardly lizard-,” Your voice faded off with Glorfindel turning as you approached him and kept on going. Though the open mouthed stare of Celebrimbor when your words were translated was followed by his dart after Thranduil in his turn to join you again.

Glorfindel, “He has completed them?”

“Yes, and now he is somewhere in this city only Mr Best Friend over there won’t tell me where he lives.”

With a smirk Glorfindel answered, “I know his clearing below his home, though which tree he resides in we would have to ask.”

“Of course he’s in a tree…” Following him you continued until a blonde was in the clearing he mentioned chatting with another and Glorfindel stated, “That is him.” Behind you the crowd of Lords had caught up and watched you call out to him.

“Annatar!” With an insulted tick of his brow for the informality his eyes fell on you in your stride ahead from the group.

His eyes traveled to the King behind you asking, _“King Amroth, what is the meaning of this?”_

“I need a word with you face changer.” His eyes lowered to you again and his chest puffed up in his tensing in your approach wondering what the cause for the upset was, “Or should I just call you by your name, Sauron.” The title caused gasps, not because they hadn’t just recognized it, but because in naming him the façade broke and his true form with dark hair and bright eyes faded in a flash of flames into a broader frame. Harshly his brows knit together and he all but growled as you said, “And don’t you play dumb pretending you don’t understand me. You are not handing out those rings.”

In a smirk he leaned forward exposing his bright smile, “And what are you to do to stop me-,” A hard punch to his cheek had him staggering to his right and his mouth falling open before a snarl formed on his face and you caught sight of his golden ring on the fist hurling at you. A second blow to that elbow however had your hand overlapping his wrist, for a non seven foot monster it would have been the right angle for you to flip him over your back onto his, though it gave you the angle you needed. A glint of gold tucked between your fingers that in his slipping free hand to throttle your throat was missed as with the removal of said band after your parents clenched onto one another wide eyed.

Wings shot out of the back of the shielded Maiar and suddenly you were in the air clenched to the chest of the fleeing giant bat soaring off to who knows where. All at once the rush of thinning air had your eyes rolling back in the sudden shot up out of reach of any arrows or daggers.

..

Inhaling deeply your body tingled its way back to consciousness against cold uneven stone. The tightness in your shoulders clued you to the bindings wresting across your back. Sliding your legs up under you your eyes opened revealing the grey featureless room with nothing but a pool of blood on the opposite end of it for you to see. Driving your shoulder into the ground your body eased up onto your knees and a slip of your fingers into a hidden pocket in your boot a lock pick was freed to hide in your curled fingers.

Over your head you heard a voice say, _“Might as well remain laying down. They rarely come down here.”_

Looking up your lips parted seeing the bikini bottom clad flaming haired Elf dangling from his wrist coated in cuts both healed and fresh, “Maedhros?” Sitting back on your legs you asked, “You’re Maedhros, aren’t you?”

Switching to the common tongue he stated, “Ah, my mistake, I assumed you spoke Teleri. What is your name, young one?”

“Jaqiearae,” the name had his lips parting, “But everyone calls me Tiny, well, almost everyone. All the Elves I’ve met refuse to.” Easing back your butt slid between your arms and he watched you sit sliding your legs between your chained arms. “Insist on My Ladies and Miss Pear’s.”

Looking over the odd armbands you huffed seeing no locks to pick making him chuckle and say, “No use in trying to free yourself. It is impossible.”

With a smirk you replied, “It’s only impossible if you’re afraid of what comes after.” The bindings weren’t big enough to slip out of though a disturbing tug on your thumb and a pained wince had your hand curl up just small enough to slip out of the band freeing your left hand leaving the dangling Elf gawking at your simple escape. Turning your right hand over as you wiggled the connected chains looped around your wrist you popped your thumb back in and eyed the overlapping folds of metal making the bands. A tiny mark had you smirk and draw a pick from your kit to hook into it making it pop open and expand with bands widening allowing you to slip your hand out then look up to his band similar to yours.

Onto your feet you stood hearing something growing closer in the hall outside from a good distance. Rushing to the wall you leapt up and kicked off it to grip the chain above his wrist making him look up, “What are you doing?”

“This is going to hurt.” You mumbled easing your legs around his chest curling upwards to inspect his band and take his weight making him groan and gasp in relief from nearly half a year of dangling here. With one hand you held both of you up and said, “If you can, grip the chain when the band loosens.”

Painfully he tried to awaken his hand still tightly bound for a few moments, unable to do so in the ever nearing approach of the noise building in the hall you found the same groove and dug the pick inside it making him groan at the surge of blood to his unrestrained hand. “Just a few moments-,” He grit through the pain in timid wiggles of his fingers until he could grip the chain and let you carefully lower him to dangle again.

When the noise came right up to the door you had hopped down and rushed back to your spot wrapping your arms up again. Into the room Sauron and a flame haired taller male behind him you eyed and smirked saying, “I see you brought Melkor too.”

Melkor’s eyes narrowed, “You dare speak my name?”

“You dare to imagine yourself terrifying? Big bad boogeyman living off in the shadows with your little henchman over there.” Your eyes shifted to Sauron with his split cheek sneering at you.

Sauron, “You are nothing!”

Melkor drew out a glass orb he held up through which you saw the Elf Lords in Lothlorien gathered around it as he spoke to them in a tongue you didn’t understand. _“I am well aware three rings were kept from my possession, and you will hand them over to me or I will slice the answers out of this child!”_

Your parent’s withheld gasps and whimpers in the rising clamor of the others had you smirking luring Melkor’s eyes back to you bringing Sauron’s soon with them and he asked, “What is it you find so amusing?”

In a giggle you answered, “You have no idea what a pinch of nothing can do.” The sound of your chains dropping behind your back had their faces drop as Maedhros let go finally and landed on his feet using his arm to lean on the wall to his right.

Melkor, “How-,”

Smirking you raised your hand saying, “You know those rings of yours are pretty useless without the One.” Instantly Sauron looked down to find his ring as you rushed forward in a hop up, looping your legs over his shoulders hooking a band to his wrist in your flipping him over you. A stray kick to Melkor’s belly had him down enough to have the chain looped around his neck in the dropping of the Palantir in a bend back to hook the other band to his ankle. Hurrying over you pulled Maedhros over your shoulders saying, “Up you get Mr Prince, need some speed, can’t let you hobble out.” Over the joined pair groaning and trying to manage free of the chains you snatched the necklace from Melkor’s chest with the Silmarils dangling on it and you raced through the door you bolted behind you.

Maedhros, “You really assume-,”

“I know they’ll get out, just buying time.” Looking both ways you turned right and hoped for the best. A maze of halls later through the palace over the dungeon you had just escaped you avoided the servants and orcs milling by making your way to who knows where until you finally came to a stop in a sitting room across from a balcony overlooking an opening to a volcano making you smirk. Carefully you let Maedhros down and helped him outside into the blast of heat sending your hair back behind you into a mad tightening curl. “Just what I need.”

Maedhros, “Just how is this helpful? Now we are trapped near the mouth of Mt Doom!”

With a smirk you walked to the edge and peered down at the lava with the ring easing between your fingers from your pocket you turned hearing the door to the sitting room burst open in your move a few steps away from the ledge with the furious pair panting at the pair of you. Pocketing the Silmarils in the larger one on your tight secured by snaps you smirked in their approach.

Sauron, “You give me that ring Child!”

“My name is Tiny! You want it? Come and get it.” Turning around you rushed for the edge hearing his shout behind you and his race to stop you. A split in the ground and you all but collapsed right on the edge and gripped the rocky edge scrambling up to dive over.

Wide eyed Maedhros shouted, “NO!” Hastily Melkor grabbed him as Sauron was tugged over the edge with you in his try to catch you. Staggering with what strength he had Maedhros felt the pulse of the ring hitting the lava as Sauron’s screams died out in his sink below the lava. Yet in a turn of his head in a forceful shove getting Melkor away from him in the drawing of a dagger your whistle drew their eyes to you with a canister in your hands, softly he muttered, “Tiny..”

A spray of your mace had Melkor on his knees wailing in pain and his dagger claimed by you and tucked into your boot before moving to help Maedhros again, “Come on Princey, let’s get out of here.”

Feeling his strength returning he trotted at your side looking down asking, “You are injured.”

You glanced up at him, “Old knee problem, I can manage.” Around you the castle walls and floors began to split and crack, a hasty grab of clothes and boots in goods stolen from others were grabbed for Maedhros he hopped into in your rush. A collapsed set of halls had you turn in a skid and eye the open walkway overlooking the sea below the cliff the castle was on and you said, “There’s our door.”

“What?!” His eyes raked over you, “Surely-,”

With a shrug you said, “We can fly or we can die in here. I for one am gonna fly.”

Starting a charge for the opening he huffed and hurried right after you grumbling, “This is madness.”

“The border of genius and madness is held by delicate grey feathers.”

“Does that comfort you?!”

“Remember, it’s only impossible if you’re afraid.” Leaping up to stand on the banister to the glass half wall you jump off of into the air with him right behind you clutching at your hand for comfort midair in the wide eyed plummet to the ocean below when the roof cave way. Plumes of dust filled the air and far behind you in a blind stagger to freedom the collapsing castle left Melkor one escape, freedom from his mortal form as lava overtook him sending his fea back to Mandos’ Halls before his brother and fellow Valar.

All but one at least, as from the ocean a giant watery body rose up with palm extended making you giggle to yourself and smile up at the now grinning Valar carrying you both over to the safe shore on the edge of Osgiliath on Gondor’s seaside borders. The figure in the distance alone had guards off rushing to send aid to those Ulmo had saved and with a smile up at him on dry land you called out, “Thank you, Mr Ulmo!”

Echoing around you his chuckles sounded like waves crashing upon the shore and into the sea his body returned making you turn again and glance up at Maedhros, “I saw you fall.”

“What, oh, the ledge, no, um, there was another ledge below that one, he just dove right over me.” In a glance down you huffed seeing your sea foam green blouse under your cinched maroon vest now coated in dried blood smears, dirt, dust and soot, “This is my favorite shirt…” With a sigh you looked to the city and started to roll your sleeves back up again asking, “Is Isildur King? Or is it his father still?”

In catching his eye he smirked at your curious grin saying, “Elendil is King, Isildur is his second son. Not yet to manhood if I am not mistaken.”

“No doubt he will be intrigued to say the least.”

“No doubt.” His eyes looked you over in the walk closer to the incoming riders and he asked, “Why Tiny? Jaqiearae stands for blooming jewel, a beautiful name.”

With a grin you answered, “My mother called me little one, but when I was a baby I couldn’t say that, so I said I was Tiny, and it just stuck.”

With a nod he eyed your height below his shoulder and he said, “It does suit you. Your mother, what is her name?”

“Jewelia, she’s a Lady and apparently my father is Lord Celeborn.” His eyes dropped to you realizing you r connection to his adopted son as his sister in law and he smirked again hearing you say, “Have to say I’ve always loved reading about Celeborn. Even though most of the tales cover your family and their mischief.”

“Ah-,”

Your elbow bumped his lifting his gaze from the ground to you, “No worries, I’m not gonna hit you or anything. No use hurting you over what’s been done, besides, I have a hunch you and me are gonna be good friends there copper top.” The nickname made him chuckle and grin to himself, an expression that dropped in the approach of the trio of guards leading a duo of unmanned steeds.

The lead guard stated, **_“Our King will wish to speak to you both,”_** his eyes looked you over, **_“Then we will aid in tending to your wounds.”_**

Curiously unable to understand you looked to Maedhros who looked at you in return then realized you couldn’t understand and he translated making the Men look you over as he guided you to the pale horse while he took the more tempestuous of the two in a deep black with fiery eyes. Biting back the pain of your sore knee you climbed up onto the saddle and took hold of the reigns stroking the base of the steed’s neck in its turn in silent thanks as Maedhros managed up onto his saddle.

The second guard stated, **_“Our King is in Gondor, we will take you there.”_**

Curiously you eyed the city your horse trotted past and straight for the white city you rode rubbing your knee trying to calm the pain shooting through it drawing the fiery haired Prince’s eyes to it subtly in wonder at what you had done to it to have it bother you so in such a young age.

Up into the white gates you entered passing the curious citizens peering up at you for the full winding path up to the overlook. Another set of doors later and you dismounted onto your right foot and exhaled steadily in lowering your left making the Men watch your limping turn before you masked the pain and straightened up for the stroll to the opening doors behind them. Remaining upright you kept looking over the King and everything behind him as Maedhros shared all you had experienced in the escape of Mordor including the death of Sauron and Melkor at your doing luring out a much more awed and intrigued gazes your way.

Word was sent off to Lothlorien and Greenwood in between depending on where the others might have sent word. You were to be cleaned, healed, reclothed and kept safe through the night and sent on your way if you wished with an option of remaining here until you were fetched. Straight into the public bathhouse for the Nobles in the Royal Wing you strode, entering the female half behind dividing walls. Around you a seeming sea of females entered and you steadily stripped emptying your pockets into your boots, painfully you stepped down into the soaking tub and grabbed the washing cloth a servant who entered the bath with you coated in liquid soap. Trying to scrub your arm it was taken from you and your hands were guided to your more intimate parts while the trio around you scrubbed the rest of you as you sat on the sunken bench.

Up to your neck they worked then helped you dunk your head back to start on your hair. Out again you were helped when it was wrung out after being thoroughly washed and they began to dry you. A set of simple boy short styled underwear was given to you to put on and with hold of a woman’s shoulder you were helped into the strapless dress they lowered then raised up over you. The simple pink layered dress accented by green strips of woven ribbon around the top and your waist to dangle down to the ground faking a belt was laced down your back surprisingly keeping your fuller cleavage in line. Down your back your hair was left to dangle after being dried with soft whispers surrounding you, no doubt about the silver to purple ombre hair on full display in your walk through the hall after securing the necklace around your neck to keep them safe, everything else in your boots was easily replaceable.

Mostly you were in tact aside from the bruised ribs and back between scuffs, bumps and bruises down your arms and legs matching the fingerprints around your neck. Though into the healer’s you went anyways and sat at their gestures up onto reclining chair offered for a team of women who eased up your dress eyeing your scuffs and bruises until they saw your swelling knee. Several creams and a heated towel later and it was itchy and bound for your barefoot stroll into the hall to find Maedhros, also bandaged and garbed in more fitted clothes to his build to the style of the city whose eyes sank to the necklace you were reaching up for. Shaking his head he said, “It better suits your attire, My Lady.” Rolling your eyes you turned to join him for the walk to the dining hall for the dinner in your honor and he asked, “Is your pain lessoned at all?”

“After having someone squeeze my swollen knee and bandage it over these itchy creams? Not really.”

Maedhros flashed you a grin saying, “We can leave at first light and be back to Lothlorien in a matter of days where they will properly see to that injury.”

“Coming from the man cut up like an onion.” Making him chuckle again.

“My injuries will heal, thanks to you my hand is spared as well. When we return you will see just how greatly improved our medicines are to healing deep set wounds.”

.

Dinner was pleasant, or, as pleasant as needing a translator to speak to everyone or having to ask what everything on your plate was. But you kept pleasantly silent for the most part enjoying the calm of being in a crowd and not having to interact with those surging in and out of your reach to have a moment conversing with the unusual warrior in their midst.

Across your bed you stared at the empty half of it and shut your eyes trying to sleep once again knowing you only had a few hours left to try and do so. Yet here alone after months of having company in your sleep and being surrounded by strangers after having been captured and kidnapped away from the mother you had lost and fabled father you had just met sleep eluded you. To yourself you mumbled, ignoring the lingering sense of panic from your ordeal you’d yet to process, “I don’t need a hero, I need a husband.” Rolling onto your belly you clamped your eyes shut hugging your pillow, “Maybe then I could sleep, or at least have someone to snuggle with when I can’t.”

All the same a few hours was all you got and changed back into your clothes you had been taken in freshly washed for you a pair of horses were waiting for you and in the winding of your hair up into a messy bun you joined Maedhros for the ride out of the city to the gates and into the open again sully supplied and armed in case of attack. Atop your horse however you said about the sword on your saddle and bow on his, “I hope you don’t intend for me to use this sword.”

Chuckling to himself he answered, “Just hold onto it for me then. I doubt we will be attacked, but in case I can defend us. Just rest. Did you sleep at all?”

“Little bit. Not long. So used to having someone there. I’ll get used to it again.”

With a smirk he asked, “And who were these traveling companions of yours?”

“First, Prince Thranduil,” parting his lips in a glance at you, “We traveled from the Shire to Rivendell looking for Mithrandir, never found him, then from there Lord Glorfindel and the Princes, or are they Lords? Anyways, Elladan and Ellohrir, Elrond’s sons. They joined us to Lothlorien, where I was taken from by Sauron when I exposed him.”

“Quite a party of companions.”

All day you rode to Rohan’s borders, where for the night they took you in at the written request of King Elendil, that night however due to a celebration of their own you were sharing a room with other unmarried visiting women in a room filled with single beds while Maedhros was across the hall with their Men. A hearty breakfast saw you off and under the rolling grey clouds you rode missing your carpet bag you had left in Lothlorien containing your umbrella and onion tent. An hour you rode through the drizzle before reaching the edge of the vast forest outside Lothlorien offering shelter. A dinner outside of the tiny tent they had given you came before your curling up inside while he kept watch outside.

Another few days and grimacing in pain you sat atop your horse while he led the pair of them allowing you to rest regardless of natural custom to walk through. Again Rumil had spotted you, though this time you were ushered along and rustling leaves preceded you to share your arrival and clearly pained expression. It had never hurt this badly and never for this long so it was no surprise when a patrolling guard had to leave his post to catch you in your slump forward in losing conciousness from the pain. Onto the horse he hopped and turned you securing you against his chest with Maedhros joining atop his for a bolt to the inner city to get you some medical attention.

.

Boots removed and eased into a knee length pair of pants under your mint blouse, steadily you awoke to find your father and Elrond fawning over your injured knee. The warm wrap they had added was removed along with the hot stones under them. Brushes were drawn out in your deep inhale and your eyes opened to hear your mother saying, “Lie still little one, they must coat it evenly.”

Looking down you asked looking over your now badly bruised but far less swollen knee, “What happened to my knee?”

“That muscle tear of yours split open. The tear and old scarring has been mended, though you will have to remain off of it for a matter of weeks to allow it rest. The Men must have given you ginger oils, the rashes were terrible down your leg.”

With a sigh your head laid back and Celeborn hummed out, “You are doing marvelous, little one.”

Elrond, “Yes, it was a nice clean tear, simple to mend though the location no doubt made the recovery from your old wound rather unbearable.”

Looking them over you asked, “How’s Maedhros doing?”

Elrond smiled sweetly at you, “He is also on bed rest, for a month. You did well in freeing him how you did, his hand will make a full recovery and his scars mended in time.”

Shifting your gaze again it fell on Celebrian, who neared you with some stew to help feed you. In each bite she shared more of her life and asked about yours well into the night until you were propped up against a pile of pillows with another under your leg. The uncertainty in your gaze however had her grin asking at your question of how your parents had treated her after you were gone.

“As unbelievable as it seems you never truly left. Always with us in spirit.” In a glance at the time she stated, “Prince Thranduil wished to speak with you.”

“Why didn’t he just come see me then?”

“There are-,”

“Rules,” you sighed out and she nodded.

“I will let him in.” She said standing up and strolling to the door she opened revealing the pacing Prince coming to a stop when he saw you and flashing a quick grin. Softly she said, “I will fetch lunch, take your time.”

The door was eased shut and straight to your side he walked and sat down beside you with a relaxed smile, “There you are Dew Drop, wondered when I would be seeing you.”

“I have inquired after you every hour since your return.”

The sadness in his gaze had you looking over it carefully, “What’s that look for?” In a pause his eyes lowered to his hands that had engulfed yours upon his sitting down, tenderly his fingers smoothed along the back of your hand, “Dew Drop, Don’t shut me out. What’s wrong?”

His eyes rose to land on yours and he inhaled deeply to say, “I am leaving tonight.”

“Oh.”

In a means of comfort to you his hands gave yours a gentle squeeze, “It is only a two day ride, my parents wish to see me again. Word has been sent of your adventures and I have written myself, of our courtship. I must return for a time to settle a foundation for that. My absence will grant you time with your family, I do hope then when I have arranged matters, you might stay for a time, as per custom-,”

Again his gaze shifted to your hands and you asked, “What is that look for?”

Lowly he replied, “This could take weeks, months possibly, you might-,”

His voice trailed off at your free hand cupping his cheek to raise his gaze, “What? Find someone else? Do you really think I could ever replace you?” The uncertainty in his gaze broke off when they eased shut at your lean in to kiss him. The gentle kiss deepening for a few moments in the slide of your hand from his cheek into his hair. That action lulling a soft hum from him in melting into the breath taking kiss leaving him gasping softly when your lips withdrew. Stroking his cheek your eyes met his when they opened and you said, “It is far easier to replace the moon with an apple. You, however, don’t you go find someone to drive you into a life of crime while we’re apart. Princes are thought of as quite the commodity you know.”

Leaning in his lips hungrily met yours for another brief loving kiss then he hummed back, “I am no one elses horse thief, only yours.” A gentle tap of your foreheads later your hand dropped to his on your lap.

“Well then if you have to go you’ll just have to write to me. Do you know how to read and write this language?”

Sheepishly he replied, “Very poorly.”

In a giggle you replied, “Then I shall just have to learn yours.”

Hastily he replied, “I will practice. I will master your language fully.” Making you smile at him drawing an adoring gaze from him in return, “How can I bear this?” his eyes lowered to your leg, “You are in pain and injured and now I am leaving. It is unbearable.”

“I will be just fine, don’t you go breaking apart when I’m the one in bed playing cards and studying languages while you’re off settling things. I should be doing more it feels like. I can’t let you do all the heavy lifting.”

“I can’t just sit by and do nothing when you’re suffering so much. If we are to be suffering I suppose we must both bear it in great distances until we reach the cohabitation stage.”

“Ooh,” lowly he chuckled in your weak giggle, “Same apartment cohabitation or same town?”

A weak blush spread across his cheeks in his next chuckle, “Same apartment.”

Playfully your eyes narrowed and he smiled at you, “Who gets to pick the pillows and decorations?”

“It is my apartment now and decorated, though you may redecorate however you wish when you come to stay.”

“I am not redecorating the whole place. You may have to endure a few of my pillows and knickknacks.”

Again his hands gave yours a gentle squeeze sharing all he had to ensure before you could be together again in a means to comfort you into the path ahead. When Celebrian returned his hands raised yours to kiss your knuckles sweetly and lower your hands to your lap in his rise to his feet to finish preparing for the trip home again stealing one last final glance your way before departing.

.

He had spent weeks waiting for sight of you and his nights dreaming of your future together, the courtship being approved by his parents after yours had consented fully, your arrival in his home and introductions for you to fully delve into his world. He knew you would love it there, your future home and that his son would love you. You were the mother he wished his son to know. There was so much to do before that future could be reached though, but he would have to handle so many details first, once he had dosed the worried panic his vanishing had set off. Down to the stables he strode and stole one last glance up to the tree you were housed in then reluctantly turned away seeing Glorfindel readying to return with him to help ease things along quicker if possible. Knowing fully this absence would hurt but it would be worth it in the long run when he could finally hold you through the night in your future home when the wedding was finalized. And he did have to admit that he loved the idea of writing one another love letters.


	27. Faithfully Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bring him home by Luke Evans  
> …  
> Warning, battlefield c section mentioned, not really gruesome in being done but haunting to the oc who performed it i’ll ad -- around it

Five years, was all that stood between you. Servant to King Dior, his personal messenger as your Father stood as his Personal Guard and your Mother stood as Handmaiden to Queen Nimloth. Between messages you were free to your own leaving plenty of time for you to absently pass the shop of your focus with the blonde as equally set on stealing delivery paths to the Palace himself to steal glimpses of you. Two servants of varying stations meant to keep you separate but well below the Nobles you all served.

But fire came raining down form the sky and while your parents raced one way you raced the other. A trip to Gondolin had been planned and things were mostly packed so in a stolen path into the armory while the forces scattered a baggy set of mithril chain mail was taken and slid under your hunting garb you donned when the Princess Earwing felt the urge to test her bow and was in need of someone to *cough, cough* ‘outdo’. Vases flew and looking more like you were expecting you raced into the crowds fleeing the city through the paths your cousins were guiding them through after refusing to chase after the stubborn Princess shouting for the Feanoreans to come and face her themselves.

You were not an idiot, you had seen those flames and heard the cries of their assumed foes before and had no wish to remain, simply tore the shimmering stone from her hand and knocked her out allowing her other servants to carry her off in a sack to safety while you carried your own treasured hoard. All night you raced and finally came to a stop seeing the endless plumes of smoke filling the sky in the distance while echoes of the shouts of failure wafted on the breeze. Turned to face the sight pale blue eyes still locked on your back neared you admiring the flickers of moonlight lighting your white golden curls laying in a frayed leaf and twig filled braid down your dirt and soot coated back of your armored shirt over the bright red light that had lit you up in a pinkish hue in his brief glimpses in your fleeing.

Clearing his throat you turned and his mouth went dry having your silver speckled purple eyes on him, _“Ada said we have room in our tent, Naneth smells rain.”_

 _“Oh,”_ you glanced to the tent seeing his mother standing there with a soft encouraging grin, _“Thank you.”_ Again your head swiveled and you stated, _“I doubt they are here, however I cannot help but look…”_

_“I understand. I am certain when we cross Helcrax and arrive in Lindon proper name records will be taken for those who are misplaced.”_

You nodded and flashed him a weak grin, there were no tears, no, you had far too much hope just yet to accept that end. Inside the open tent you ducked and accepted the corner they offered, laying your bag down they watched your hand remain fixed on your belly narrowing their gaze until they saw the armored cloak of yours unhooked and baggy mithril raised with the slip of an arm out the sleeve to free the sleeping toddler Princes from the slings draped around your neck and shoulders.

Thankfully they had slept the whole way and remained sleeping still with only peeks of their periwinkle eyes glancing up at you to close again as you brushed their white curls from their faces. There in that tent a promise was made, you now had two brothers and your place now was with your cousins who led the escape eager to keep up the ruse. With your family so close to the ruling family none really could say otherwise it wasn’t true past a knowing few unwilling ever to endanger the children you had stolen.

.

**_God on high_ **

**_Hear my prayer_ **

**_In my need_ **

**_You have always been there_ **

Helcrax seemed to never and bore the only cold your kin would ever suffer, but you and your cousins in the line tapering back to Ulmo’s only child forged ahead burrowing tunnels with swipes of your hands in turns forming tunnels the masses walked through until you tired yourselves out. Waking topped in thin layers of snow you burst free and begun your rounds again until a flash of green appeared on the other side of your icy wall letting in a gust of warm air through the endless tunnel closing in behind those in the back from the growing storm blocking you from the few Noldor forces chasing after your numbers.

Lindon held nothing but pain in no openings for you or real sense of space for your kin leading to your joining those who decided to head East, mainly those of lower rank not accepted well in the nearly full lush society. Another endless stretch led you past the lush green plains and hills and the Misty Mountains blocking off those on the other side until a curious band of dark and fiery haired Elves peered out of their forest and issued their curious shimmering expelled kin an invitation to dwell in their lands.

It is hard to say how but on the road new ranks had been set and Orophin now headed your people. His generous nature and disposition led to the Silvans accepting him as their King as well in the construction of the new kingdom to house your kin and theirs alike. But still alliances were kept and when it came time to choose Head Servant to the King one choice was clear. The twins were tasked to grow one day to sit on the Council and were cared for by the Queen herself in her adoration of the boys to keep them close and protected always within your view.

**_He is young_ **

**_He's afraid_ **

**_Let him rest_ **

**_Heaven blessed_ **

.

Battle was imminent and to stave off a countless stream of attacks the King had taken to locking himself away with maps and pouring over plans to try and save his men, though little to no plans ever saw completion in his deteriorating consciousness and mental capacities to follow. There were no Elves, but orcs and Goblins to face here in battle and the inexperienced King seemed to be teetering near his end. At the end of his parchment coated desk with scattered maps between he shifted a page for Thranduil to get a better glimpse of in hopes of hearing his opinion on the matter when the door opened and you walked through with tray in hand you set down right on top of the map making the King stare up at you in a weakened glare from his exhaustion.

_“Nieninque! I did not call for a meal!”_

Instantly your head tilted and Thranduil’s lips pursed in the crossing of your arms, _“I noticed!”_ You had never so much as cleared your throat loudly in his presence since first you had spoken and never had spoken so boldly to him since his being named as King. _“You have not taken any meal for a week now and for my own safety I have made inquiry into quarters in Lothlorien. After all if the King cannot protect his own health how is he to defend the safety of his people.”_ On your heel you turned and dropped your hands to your sides to open and close the door behind you in your usual peaceful silent manner so opposite to your previous behavior.

In a near growl the King plopped into his seat behind him leaving his stunned Prince lost for words watching him lift his fork and stab into one of the tiny boiled potatoes in the veggie mix beside the strips of seasoned chicken and ham he bit into and mumbled to himself around each bite clearing his plate then stormed his way off to bed. Heavily he dropped and did not wake for nearly a day but when he had a stunning plan marking no casualties at all came right away to him and with it a basket of sliced fruit came to your door with a highly thick apologetic note.

It was never mentioned what you had said outside his family and it would be a lie to say it had been the last. You were granted that freedom, it was never in malice or contempt of anything past their loss of common sense easily set right again.

.

**_Bring him home_ **

**_Bring him home_ **

**_Bring him home_ **

A heart is quite a resilient thing, to break and break and still go on beating. That barrier remained and for all the clear respect you held it was never to be that he could be yours, a trip to Lothlorien sealed that in your very soul burning the words on the walls of your heart. The Prince found his Princess, a cousin of King Amroth’s wife Nimrodel, who upon return caught on right away to the sting of poison flowing through your body in a flinch of your gaze to the ground in bowing your head greeting the new Princess, who in all but eye color and the looseness of the waves in her waist length hair compared to your wall of self controlling curls often pooling into your face even in a complex braid. Instantly she felt your pain and then never a trace of it again in the more startling burial of it behind your unnoticed façade with tears none but you and the stars on your nightly stroll along the isolated peaks bore witness to.

. **\--** (skip ahead to the next dashes if you like)

Fire again came and with it the departure of the armed forces. Under guard of the twins Queen Taule left for Lothlorien and a few days behind her you and the heavily pregnant Princess traveled after in full caravan of guards. It seemed to come from nowhere, a hidden bear trap snapping the wheel of the carriage making it tip signaling your holding the Princess safely from the crash and taking the pain for yourself. Armed and free of the carriage you led her and the lone guard to safety, or tried to, two whistles flew and pained groans sounded. Instantly the guard was gone and the Princess collapsed to her knees gripping her belly as the arrow in her shoulder released its poison. Panting from the shock of it you stopped and turned to face the trio of orcs still on your tail, one by one they fell and echoes of more approaching nearly a mile off.

At her side onto your knees you fell teary eyed knowing how little you knew of correcting black arrows or mending injuries such as this in her own teary sobs realizing how this would affect her husband. A dagger was pressed into your palm and your eyes fell to it as she whimpered, _“Save my child.”_ Your eyes met hers and tears rolled down your cheeks from your wide eyes, _“That is an order! We have little time left before they are upon us, save my child! Only you I trust him with, only you! Only you could love them as I have.”_ Inhaling sharply she lowered your hand to her belly she had already torn the silk and tulle layers draped across it, _“Now!”_ A stick she found was pressed between her teeth as you could see her glow waning already, if the poison wouldn’t kill her she would fade before you could manage this.

Screams filled the growl filled forest as the trees surrounding you fought to buy you time, a few moments was all she got and tearfully she held her crying son swaddled in her shawl she had kept clean between her raised knees. Just like that she was gone and again so were you, with all you could carry of the supplies running until you had to stop at an impossible tide restrictive river blocking your way. Gently you washed him clean along with the shawl you hung to dry while using another you had taken to keep him close to your heart hoping he would remain silent. Though hunger eventually hit and with it another discovery came, a faint glow in the stream whispered to you to nurse the child and surprisingly milk was granted to you enabling you to do so. Tearfully you kept your word keeping him fed, warm, clean and quiet, hiding him in a sling under your cloak as you found the way into Lothlorien.

Silent and slightly broken you took a corner of the hall granted to the visiting servants and guards remaining silent and distant with your hood drawn worrying many passing you in the word of King Oropher’s fall stirring up screams from Queen Taule doubling at the news of the injured return of her son. All seemed to be lost and silent you remained still feeling the blood on your hands from the act you had been ordered to commit.

\--

On the moment of his arrival the Prince now King had ordered a search for his pregnant wife when news that your caravan had never arrived, one that returned with news of the butchering of the Queen taking his unborn son so far from his due date. He ordered the room be cleared, he wanted to be alone. Everything had changed and in his mind all had been lost, for nothing with regrets of the issue to evacuate the Royal Family from Amon Lanc.

Silent and alone you went catching the gaze of the twins, who broke the King’s solitude to inform him you had arrived, possibly with an explanation. Straight through you were ushered and in the dropping of your cloak he saw at once you had witnessed all that had occurred. Straight to his side you went in his stunned silence as he struggled against tearing his stitches to sit up and hold you tightly to ease your pain. With trembling lips you drew in a breath then eased back your cloak parting his lips in seeing the familiar shawl in your arms. Down you sat breaking rank so he wouldn’t injure himself, on his chest the boy was cradled in his own approaching sobs from the tears filling his eyes.

Broken and in a gasp you spoke, _“I’m sorry!”_ Again you exhaled drawing out the Queen’s personal dagger in another cloth still bearing your prints and her dried blood, _“So very sorry!”_ Again you gasped a breath and in a soft whimper of the boy the twins peeked inside with parted lips seeing the King kissing the head of his premature son far bigger than he should have been showing he had been well fed and protected since his terrifying birth. _“I could not remove the arrow, and more were coming, and she ordered-,”_ Your lips quivered again and tears poured down your cheek as your body began to slide off the bed so you would be on your knees. _“I killed the Queen. I fully accept-,”_

Harshly his hand gripped one of your thighs and jerked you back up onto the bed to lay at his side, right where he held you tightly and closed his eyes in a sniffle while his son nodded off to the sound of his heart beat. Tossing the dagger to the ground he kept his hold on you and the pair of you wept for your losses until you fell asleep to be discovered by the former Queen in her arrival with food and fresh bandages. Tears fell from her eyes as her stirring son allowed her to take hold of the infant freeing him to dry your blotchy cheeks and pull you closer to his side closing his eyes again.

No punishment was to be taken, not when elation spread that the Prince, however a gruesome method in doing so, had been saved. Clearly you had expected to face execution but in being granted milk by the Valar Ulmo the title of Queen Mother had been granted to you along with the protection and nursing of the young Prince the former Queen herself had chosen you for. Hours he had thanked you when you had first woken and a familiar tale you had told of your mother had told you of the trees with the tiniest leaves in the first breath of spring bringing the most hope had secured the name for the tiny boy, the tiny green leaf that brought so much hope to the people for better things to come one day.

As often as he required to gradually learn all that had been said or done by or around you the King soon learned all and gained even more respect and adoration for you in all you had endured with still such kindness and love for the infant you were intertwined the life of eternally.

**_He's like the son I might have known_ **

**_If God had granted me a son_ **

**_The summers die_ **

**_One by one_ **

**_How soon they fly_ **

**_On and on_ **

**_And I am old_ **

**_And will be gone_ **

.

Times were growing tough and once again the prince found himself witness to your temper in his own struggle to put off sleep to dig through papers having stacked up in his weeks of healing. The cool sting of metal now unsheathed form his very hip found his own sword to his throat. Up his hand went and around your wrist it wrapped, clearly he could disarm you and yet when his eyes met yours he relented slightly uncertain of why.

_“Bed, now.”_

With a sigh he said, _“I must finish reading these reports.”_

_“Either way you are near to dropping, if it is what it takes I will read you to sleep.”_

Relenting to your will as his father had done the blade was traded for the reports and a new tradition was shared, him in bed as you read the reports he required each night from a stool along the wall until he fell asleep. Soon there had been plans to construct a second Palace in the Northern peaks and between trips to oversee that his time was most spent with you and his son.

The boy loved you, whole heartedly and between nights laying up staring at the stars with the both of them, climbing trees and running through fields of tall grass and flowers none could ever tell him he was anything but yours. Yet his teens had come and gone and with adulthood came with a curiosity for the Elleth that had carried him when it finally settled in that you and his father were not bound and both clearly was suffering from that fact.

**_Bring him peace_ **

**_Bring him joy_ **

**_He is young_ **

**_He is only a boy_ **

With walls came puppets and spies. Sauron and Melkor, both disguised for many held no sway over your knowledge of them in their many visits to King Dior. Shadows spread and in a try to find the best plan to alert the now haze minded King you had no clue how to waken. Away you had to go, past the band of Dwarves and Hobbit once you had been captured in your flight their shouts sounded as you were beaten unconscious and chained in side the cage with the tiniest Dwarf now cowering at the fiery gaze of the metal clad puppets now patrolling the halls of the kingdom.

The pair left returning to guide the Elf King to march upon the mountain himself for the gold inside to wipe out his armies, a troubling task itself even with the haze his mind was under. A fiery haired Elleth far too distracted in searching the skies slipped back inside in time to see your capture and in their flight snuck in to bring down the puppets and use the keys to let you and the company free.

Behind her the Prince had snuck and into your barrel he jumped refusing to leave while Tauriel lingered with Bilbo to help him into a spare barrel for the ride to Laketown. A trade of rings after one of gold was spotted in passing left the Hobbit elated at the sapphire ring able to shift him into a white dove whenever he wished and back again just the same, much preferred over the shadowy paths his left him wandering.

A bargain had been struck, another ring granted, one to freeze the giant beast and any of fire hoping to attack them enabling them to break apart with axes without trouble in return for humoring the Elf King and drawing things out as long as he could without drawing blood. Away you turned and sighed seeing Legolas staring you down, _“You are mistaken if you imagine I am letting you go alone.”_

Turning away you mumbled, _“We can add this to the list of reasons to execute me.”_

Instantly spurring up an argument lasting hours between the duo against you until Tauriel finally asked, _“Just where is our destination?”_

_“King Thorondor’s domain.”_

Legolas excitedly asked, _“The Eagles? We’re going to see the Eagles?!”_

.

The excitement died however at the straight climb up the endless peak for days on end finally a landing was gripped and you crawled up onto it and helped the duo up after you only to knock Legolas down at a swooping talon ended foot slashing to Legolas, who you covered. _“WHO DARES ENTER OUR DOMAIN?!”_

Kneeling forward nearly to the ground you replied, _“Please forgive me, I have come to request your aid.”_

_“What task could possibly lead you to imagine we would aid you nameless Elleth?!”_

_“We have discovered Sauron’s Ring and require aid in entering Mordor.”_

A round of screeches sounded as you all gripped the cracks in the ledge you were on in the gusts their flapping wings stirred up. _“HOW DARE YOU BRING THESE MATTERS HERE!”_

A sudden lurch to Legolas had his eyes widen and you jerk him down again to cover him as he squeaked out, _“Naneth!”_

 _“Don’t hurt them, please! I led them here! Don’t hurt them!”_ Gripping him tightly under you the shadow of the giant Eagle above you inspecting the pair of you and Tauriel curled up at your sides for a moment.

Above you the Eagle King spoke firmly, _“Leave and never return!”_ Silently you nudged the pair back to the long climb down and quietly you vanished from their keep and you especially did not speak until you reached the bottom and you sat down in the snow bank there drying your lingering tears from the shock of what had happened.

To yourself you muttered, _“I hoped they would help.”_

Legolas crouched before you saying when your eyes met his, _“Naneth, we will find a way.”_

Tauriel nodded, _“And they will greatly regret not aiding in our adventure.”_

With a nod you stood and mumbled to yourself, _“Adventure…”_ Continuing on the path taking you to the distant plumes of smoke and ash.

**_You can take_ **

**_You can give_ **

**_Let him be_ **

**_Let him live_ **

**_If I die, let me die_ **

**_Let him live_ **

.

Atop another peak you crouched eyeing the flaming darkened city making Legolas’ eyes go wide until you said, _“The river.”_

They both looked at you and you pointed out a tiny river flowing under the Eastern wall making Legolas ask, _“The river lets us in, then what do we do about all of them?”_

With a smirk you answered, _“We break the dam.”_ His brow inched up and you showed him the dam located half a mile from the river used to power a great deal of machines parting their lips. _“You can wait here, if you wish.”_

Tauriel, _“We are not abandoning you, Queen Mother.”_

Legolas, _“Naneth, you should know well enough the stubbornness of Elves to question our loyalty to you.”_

.

Oddly frigid water led you inside to follow the currents to a set of rocks you used for cover to start the path to the dam with tossed rocks far in the distance to spur up distractions to remain unseen. Up a rocky path you climbed and to a set of mechanisms you climbed a built in ladder and broke the securing bolts and seals of the pipes around the dam building the pressure making you cling together in the wall of water crashing down into the city stirring up a call to open the gates. That however would take time, and you used it to your advantage to muster up a raft you bent the water to urge it towards Mt Doom. Up the ridge you ran and after tossing the ring away into the lava the pair pulling the raft helped you ease it into the water at your sign and held on for you to ride the waves of water pouring out through the gates.

Earth cracking below you had you leaping off at the last moment to roll to safety and spend a few elated giggling moments on the edge of oblivion before rolling to your knees for the walk home again. A shadowy path however led you right into a trap, one of riders from Gondor who had seen your path to the darkened now disappeared city. The ring had bored deep into the minds of those corrupted and it would take time to free those minds and with Gondor being so close the effects were so much stronger. Hard shoves and blows were given until you again were thrown into a cell coughing across the cold stone floor with the duo in separate cells across from you staggering to their knees shouting your name at your slow rise.

Eventually you did after a few room settling moments and spat blood into the corner in your wincing rise to your feet at the nearing of another guard. A sudden grip of your braid and tug on his chain mail sleeve to bring him in reach had your braid around his neck parting the lips of the duo across from you listening to his heart slow as he stopped struggling. Right after he slipped unconscious you let the chokehold loose and grabbed the keys on his belt freeing yourself and them after. Through the city muffled shouts and cries came with every person knocked out along the way until you were finally in possession of your things and free again to slip into the night on the moonless night.

The race however came to an abrupt end in your steadily slowing pace to a trot and near collapse bringing the attention of the duo to the dagger you had sutured in your thigh, the blood loss from which had your eyes rolling back in a slump forward. They tried to catch you, but a much larger foot did instead. Far from over head in their path of monitoring the tasks and paths you had taken a pair of Eagles had followed you, one now carrying you and the other, who snatched up Legolas and Tauriel.

**_Bring him home_ **

**_Bring him home_ **

**_Bring him home_ **

Execution was the last of your worries, or would be had you not been unconscious. Locked inside your apartment you were seen to on the hour every hour as the Prince and Tauriel were questioned thoroughly by the King. It wasn’t the corruption, the shadows or even the number of people having been locked away to send his stomach churning, but the thought of finding your blood stained apartment, now scrubbed clean, without any sight of you, his son or Tauriel.

It was right there, always right there. How he loved his Wife so easily, she was the version of you he was allowed to project his adoration onto, and what was worse she knew it, mentioned it often his bond with you he brushed off as friends. It was always more, the pregnancy news that sent him full panic at, now he realized not being yours, calmed when you were the one to find him off riding on his Elk in a faked need to scout supplies for a gift. You said he would be a great father, a great King, but he never wanted her, it was all yours. None of this would be here without you, his father surely would have lost it all, none could have passed Middle Earth or the Misty Mountains, and surely wouldn’t have passed Helcrax.

There was such a peace when you were named Queen Mother, everything felt right, but that damn bed, that damn empty bed he no longer realized as you read him to sleep and bled into his dreams only to shatter him at waking alone. He had found peace with you. A peace shattered when your bloody limp body was left in the middle of a garden by Eagles followed by his son and Captain of the Guard behind you to share how you had been injured.

.

The weight weighed heavily on Legolas, he swore he had seen a dagger in that final hall be drawn on him and you made the Man go flying with your punch, you were safe, you were supposed to be safe. But he didn’t get it, you loved him, and he meant more to you than life itself. Thranduil repeated the very sentiment you had shared with him when he confronted you about his birth mother, when you had given him the still bloody dagger expecting him to take revenge. But he dropped it and clung to you. Teary eyed he sat watching his father leave after the tightest hug he’d ever received from him that stirred a lingering ache in his ribs. You chose his barrel, the sturdiest and least likely to leak, you chose his portions always bigger than yours, you covered him when facing the Eagles and pled for their safety saying nothing for yourself.

That was love. Unflinching and selfless. Life was meaningless if he wasn’t safe and happy, you knew there would be sadness but he had time to be happy again if you fell in his place. So much had been sacrificed and it all returned to every pained glance you never knew he saw. He knew your smile, your laugh, the pure joy exuding from you when you were with him, and then is father would come and each glance, word and step closer or apart held a weight he couldn’t place, the same the opposite way. It never ended the tension and finally that dam was to break and he would make certain that all left unsaid would be unspoken somehow. It all had to come out, or surely you would drown from the blood seeping out of your torn open heart.

..

Quietly he sat replaying each moment he had missed sharing all he thought of you and as you slept, just as in your absence he wrote it all out for you. One journal turned to two and on his reach for a third after two weeks asleep your eyes opened and he stood crossing to plant his knee on the bed, _“You are never to leave these walls again.”_

Inhaling sharply you took that as your eternal imprisonment until his hands claimed yours in your reach to surrender to being bound and they were planted over your head in a warm kiss melting into forty three after ending with his settling at your side reaching for the first journal as you panted, _“How long have we been back?”_

_“Two weeks and two days. Now rest.”_

He opened the journal and you asked, _“Shouldn’t you-,”_

_“Shhh. You will rest, and you will listen until I have read it all and long after until you have shared it all as well, by then the wedding service will be prepared.”_

_“Who is getting married?”_

_“We are.”_ Kissing you in a nestling hold to draw you closer to his chest for him to rest his cheek on top of your head and begin to read.


End file.
